Dan Lanning is known as a player's coach, but he can deliver the tough love after a lapse in discipline.
Receiver Malik Benson became one of the heroes of the game after sprinting to an 85-yard touchdown to give Oregon a 21-14 lead, but he drew Lanning's ire for an ill-advised taunting penalty that took the Ducks from the USC 4 to the USC 19.
The penalty looked like it was going to cost the Ducks a touchdown until Desman Stephens erased a missed field goal by drawing a penalty for leaping over the center. With a fresh set of downs the Ducks drove for a TD grouping together a 9-yard keeper by Dante Moore, a tough inside run by Noah Whittington and a goal line plunge on a direct snap to linebacker Bryce Boettcher.
Malik Benson gets a word from Dan Lanning after an unsportsmanlike conduct call. pic.twitter.com/oNWqqtTMuA
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) November 22, 2025
Oddly, the penalty allowed the Ducks to chew up more clock. When USC doinked a field goal off the upright they went into the locker room with a 28-14 lead, due to get the ball first in the third quarter.