Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning Surprises with Big Man Touchdown Call Against Wisconsin

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks beat the Wisconsin Badgers 21-7 to improve to 7-1 on the season. Oregon coach Dan Lanning had some tricks up his sleeve in the win, including a touchdown catch by offensive lineman Gernorris Wilson.
Oct 25, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning instructs players during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning instructs players during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

In No. 6 Oregon's 21-7 win over the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night, Ducks coach Dan Lanning had some tricks up his sleeve as a touchdown catch by offensive lineman Gernoriss Wilson in the third quarter highlighted the Ducks' win over the Badgers.

Oregon Ducks College Football Big Ten Gernorris Wilson Brock Thomas Dan Lanning touchdown Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman
Oct 25, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive tackle Gernorris Wilson (35) catches a touchdown pass during the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Wilson celebrated his touchdown with a dance that he had been practicing for his special moment. Lanning spoke about Wilson's touchdown celebration after Oregon's win.

"I've seen that dance in practice a million times too. I was hoping he would wait to get to the sideline to do it, but it worked out," said Lanning.

Ducks backup quarterback Brock Thomas recorded the touchdown pass to Wilson for Oregon, after starter Dante Moore left the game bloodied after taking a clothesline tackle to the face early in the third quarter.

Before exiting the game, Moore threw for 86 yards on 9-of-15 passing. Thomas finished the game with 46 yards and a touchdown, on a perfect 4-of-4 passing.

Another surprise from Lanning and the Ducks came in the fashion of an onside kick to start the game, stealing a possession from the Badgers.

Oregon Running Backs With Another Impressive Showing

Oregon Ducks College Football Big Ten Jordon Davison Noah Whittington Rutgers Scarlett Knights Wisconsin Badgers running back
Oregon running back Jordon Davison carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks host the Wisconsin Badgers on Oct. 25, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After recording 415 rushing yards in the week 8 56-10 win over the Rutgers Scarlett Knights, Oregon had another impressive performance on the ground against the Badgers. Oregon running back Jordon Davison collected 100-plus rushing yards for the second straight game against the Badgers.

MORE: Oregon Is Back in Play for Five-Star Running Back Recruit After New Visit Plans

MORE: What the Advanced Analytics Say About Oregon vs. Wisconsin

MORE: Oregon Ducks Can't-Miss Tie Dye Uniforms Are Recruiting Magnet 

Davison finished the game leading the Ducks in rushing with 16 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Noah Whittington also contributed with another impressive performance, recording 14 carries for 97 yards.

With the win against the Badgers, Oregon improves to 7-1 on the season heading into its second bye week. The Ducks will face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, coming out of the bye week on Nov. 8.

Consistency On Offense Will Be The Key For The Ducks Moving Forward

Noah Whittington College Football Big Ten Jordon Davison Wisconsin Badgers Iowa Hawkeyes Minnesota Golden Gophers
Oct 25, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Noah Whittington (6) carries the ball during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

While the rainy conditions in Eugene had an impact on the field performance for both teams, the Ducks' only scoring 21 points against a Wisconsin team that has struggled all season is a concern moving forward.

The key for Oregon heading into the bye week will be to fix its offensive struggles that were on display against Wisconsin on Saturday night. This will be crucial for the Ducks, especially facing a gritty Iowa defense on the road.

The Hawkeyes have a 6-2 record on the season and have won three straight games, including a dominating 41-3 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Iowa has always been a tough place for top-10 opponents to play, and could be a potential trap game for the Ducks. Oregon will have to come ready to play on both sides of the football as the Hawkeyes are more than capable of pulling off the upset.

Recommended Articles


Published
Caden Handwork
CADEN HANDWORK

Caden Handwork is a beat reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI. Caden graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Journalism. He has previous experience writing NBA, NFL, MLB, and College Football content for FanSided as a Contributor. He is also written as a contributor for the Detroit Lions FanSided site, the SideLion Report. At Michigan State, Caden covered several MSU athletic events for Impact 89 FM, Spartan Sports Report, and Spartans Illustrated. He has covered Michigan State Basketball in the Champions Classic in Chicago and has covered Spartan Hockey in the last two NCAA Tournaments.