Number 18 Oregon crashed hard on September 12, losing 39-31 to Oklahoma State, a result so stunning it’s still hard to believe. This was no ordinary defeat, either: they got dropped by a program that was on a 10-game losing streak and hadn’t beaten an FBS opponent in 21 straight contests. What a blow.
Lanning’s Brutal Honesty About the On-Field Disaster
It’s been a rough 48 hours for Dan Lanning and his No. 18 Oregon squad, and the fifth-year coach admitted as much during his weekly press conference on September 14. The Ducks were flat-out embarrassed during their afternoon at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater. The performance was so lackluster and undisciplined that the social media scrutiny has been blistering, and Lanning confirmed that feeling was earned. “It really looks similar to what it felt like on the field,” Lanning said of his film review. He didn’t pull any punches, either: “We did not perform in any level that was winning football. I think the area in the game where we probably played winning football was on special teams. But we certainly lost on offense, we certainly lost on defense.”
The ‘Testy Defense’ and What Comes Next
In the fallout, Lanning rehashed the Cowboys loss, assessing exactly what went wrong. He also notably offered a testy defense of quarterback Dante Moore. After such an embarrassing defeat, every single angle is going to get picked apart, and it sounds like Lanning is feeling the heat.
So, what’s next for the No. 18 Ducks? They’ve got Portland State coming to Autzen Stadium on September 18 at 7:30 p.m. This isn’t another game; it’s a chance to wipe the slate clean and prove that last weekend was a horrific, uncharacteristic stumble. The eyes of the league are watching to see if Lanning can rally his squad and get them back to winning football.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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