Three Things You Didn't See On TV During Oregon's Upset Loss To UCLA

EUGENE - The Oregon Ducks (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) are now unranked for the first time since 2022, after being upset by the undefeated UCLA Bruins, 17-15, at Autzen Stadium.

It was a perplexing day in Eugene. The Ducks committed seven turnovers, converted just one of 13 third-down attempts and failed on both two-point attempts. Yet, Oregon still had a chance to tie the game with just over two minutes remaining. The Ducks came up short and their chances at reaching the College Football Playoff have dwindled - a strange sentence to write in the beginning of October.

With starter Dante Moore sidelined in concussion protocol, Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola completed just six of his 19 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions before third-string quarterback Brock Thomas took over.

What the broadcast didn't show was everything unfolding beyond the action on the field as the Ducks lost only their third game at home in the coach Dan Lanning era. The 2026 season has left many fans scratching their heads. The Ducks returned much of the roster that reached the College Football Playoff semifinal last season and had (understandably) high preseason expectations as the No. 2 overall ranked team.

Now, Oregon enters a defining stretch. Seven Big Ten games remain, giving the Ducks plenty of opportunities to change the direction of their season. This was supposed to be “the year” for Oregon. And while those championship-sized dreams have faded, it does not have to become a lost season for the Ducks.

Here are three things the TV broadcast didn't show in the upset loss.

This weekly column will publish the day after every Ducks game. Be sure to come back each week for more.

San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch

I spoke with San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch on the sidelines at Autzen Stadium on Saturday. Before becoming an NFL executive, Lynch starred at Stanford and built a Hall of Fame career as a safety, earning nine Pro Bowl selections and winning Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Along with Lynch, the stadium’s seating chart listed scouts or personnel representing 19 NFL teams.

Despite the early season struggles, there are Ducks who are getting attention from NFL analysts, including three in the top-50 NFL Draft prospects from ESPN.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid ranked quarterback Moore as the No. 20 prospect overall, tight end Jamari Johnson at No. 21 and defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington No. 35 overall on his Oct. 1 big board for the 2027 NFL Draft. Moore was the fifth-ranked quarterback, Johnson was his top-ranked tight end, while Washington ranked third among defensive tackles.

For the Ducks, the NFL audience came on a day where the offense seriously struggled to do even the basics. The Ducks couldn’t sustain drives, establish the run or protect the football.

Historically, the Ducks are sending talent to the league under Lanning at a record pace. Oregon has had at least six players taken in the NFL Draft in each of the last four years, with 31 total selections under Lanning. 

Evan Stewart's Leadership Moment With Receivers and Dakorien Moore

Oregon fifth-year senior Evan Stewart provided one of the highlights from the loss with his 44-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

However his biggest impact might be what happened after the game: Helping a young receiver room navigate a season that has not gone as expected.

“As a leader, I mean, only thing you can do is just keep it positive, as positive as it can be,” Stewart said. “Just try to delete any negative talk.”

"Honestly, as a team, I feel that we're too focused on the outcome. I feel like we definitely, as a team, just need to hone in on the details and just getting better, like truly. Not worrying about what anybody else thinks outside of the building and just honing in with each other and just really buying into each other and just the craft that we do every single day," Stewart continued.

Stewart draws on his first two college seasons at Texas A&M, when wins were harder to come by. That experience helps him offer perspective to sophomore Dakorien Moore, who led Oregon with 77 receiving yards on four catches against UCLA. Both earned freshman All-American recognition, but Stewart reminds Moore that his came while playing for a winning team.

Stewart shared that Moore can be hard on himself so the veteran is trying to help his younger teammate keep the confidence.

“So it's like, I just try to give him example after example and fill his head up with good thoughts,” Stewart said. “Like, because, you know, he can be hard on himself too.”

Stewart finished the game with five catches for 74 yards and one fumble - it was his fourth consecutive game with a touchdown reception.

Phil Knight At Autzen

Nike Co-Founder Phil Knight was in attendance as Oregon suffered its second loss of the season. Afterward, Lanning was asked what he would tell the donors and supporters who have invested in the program. The question carried added weight with Knight, an Oregon graduate and major philanthropist, in the building.

“Their support is appreciated. Their support doesn’t guarantee results, just like hard work doesn’t guarantee results,” Lanning said. “We’ve got to be better. We’ve got to find a way to be successful.”

“Support doesn’t just lead to wins. There has to be a translation in the way you coach and the success you have on the field, and we didn’t do a good enough job tonight,” Lanning said.

Lanning pointed to Oregon’s history of success, but his assessment of Saturday was clear: the Ducks simply need to improve. Lanning took accountability, saying that he and the coaching staff need to put the team in a better position to win.

Next up, the Ducks host the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. PT.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.