When you start the year dreaming of confetti and national trophies, falling flat on your face in Autzen Stadium feels like a rude awakening. For Dan Lanning and the Ducks, a 17-15 stumble against UCLA wasn’t just a regular loss. It slammed the playoff door wide open, forcing a brutal reality check in Eugene. Oregon entered the matchup looking to bounce back, but with the offense sputtering to just 272 yards, Lanning is now staring down the barrel of necessary staff changes to keep their fading championship hopes alive.

Oregon finished with 272 yards, including just 73 rushing yards, and converted only one of 12 third-down attempts. Through the first three quarters, the Ducks managed only 89 yards and five first downs. Those numbers have put the offense under scrutiny, and questions have already started about whether a change in play-calling could help Oregon get back on track.

“Dan Lanning was asked about if he would consider making a change at who is calling plays,” 247Sports reporter Matt Prehm reported via an X post. “He said everything with the offense needs to be evaluated. He said there is a lot on offense that needs to be evaluated, including the play calling and prep.”

In college football, hitting the panic button mid-season is rare, but when national title dreams implode, head coaches rarely wait until January. Waiting too long to shake up an offensive staff usually seals a team’s fate. Lanning knows he has to move fast before the locker room completely loses faith.

This is the second loss in a month for the Ducks, as Oregon gave up 554 yards in a 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State in Week 2. Though defense was the problem then, the offense struggled against UCLA. Oregon’s defense held up against the Bruins, allowing 17 points and 3.0 yards per carry against one of the better rushing teams in the country. But the offense gave the ball away seven times, raising questions about execution.

“Never been in a situation where we turn the ball over that much and still have an opportunity to have success there in the game,” Lanning said during the press conference after the UCLA loss, according to Logan Brown of Ducks Wire. “But we weren’t successful on offense in any phase tonight. Obviously didn’t really get into a rhythm, weren’t able to create success there.”

That is why the staff are under scrutiny. The first two-point try came after Jordon Davison’s one-yard touchdown. Oregon went to a swinging-gate look, and Brock Thomas was stopped short. However, Lanning took responsibility for the decision, admitting it could have made the difference in the game. The second try also failed, and analysts have pointed to offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer’s calls, as the offensive line had trouble holding up.

Dylan Raiola went 6-for-19 for 43 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble after he started instead of Dante Moore, who is still in concussion protocol after the USC hit. At USC, he completed 19-of-25 for 289 yards. Lanning left him in until the second pick, with about 1:26 left in the third quarter and Oregon down 17-6.

“Anytime that you hold onto the ball and you’re not able to get rid of it on your first look, I think last week we were able to get to our first decision quite a bit,” Lanning said. “There were some times that he [Raiola] was able to hit the pass rush and create successful plays. We weren’t able to create that today, but again, when you have third-and-long situations, you’re not successful with the run on early downs. Obviously, it wasn’t good enough.”

When Raiola was benched, Oregon brought in Brock Thomas, a fifth-year senior and former walk-on, to play as the starter. He finished 11-of-15 for 156 yards and threw a 44-yard touchdown to Evan Stewart. He also fumbled a snap on fourth-and-one.

Moore returned to practice earlier this week but has no confirmed return date. Whoever starts against Nebraska on October 17 will be playing behind a line that keeps shuffling, with receiver Jeremiah McDeClam out with a broken foot.

“We don’t control our destiny anymore, right? It’s not necessarily just up to us, but we do control how we respond,” Lanning said about the loss, according to an X post by Olivia Cleary.

The answer to the changes, Lanning said, comes next week, as Oregon is set to face Nebraska followed by Illinois, Northwestern and No. 5 Ohio State on November 7. The Athletic put Oregon’s playoff odds at 23% after the UCLA loss.

That upcoming stretch is as tough as it can possibly be. While slipping up against unranked teams like Nebraska or Illinois would be devastating, running into No. 5 Ohio State on November 7 is the ultimate playoff eliminator. In the expanded playoff era, a second or third loss against elite competition shuts the championship door completely.