Nebraska lost to Oregon on a four-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the college football officiating crew missed two penalties on the Ducks’ final three offensive plays, including an illegal formation.
Both penalties were pretty obvious.
Even if a college football game is not decided by only one play, each of the missed calls had a direct impact on the result. The outcome might’ve been different if either infraction resulted in a flag.
Dylan Raiola led a comeback against Nebraska.
Anyone who stayed up to watch the game between Nebraska and Oregon witnessed one of the most exciting endings of the season. The first 44 minutes were not quite as compelling. Both teams combined for only 20 points through the first three quarters. It was not necessarily a defensive battle, just bad offense.
And then Dylan Raiola checked in for the Ducks. The former Cornhuskers quarterback led his new team back from eight points down against his old team. He also showed the utmost class in victory.
Raiola began the fourth quarter with a 17-play, 69-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. Down 14-9, Oregon back took over on offense with five minutes and 17 seconds remaining. The Ducks drove 82 yards on 20 plays in five minutes and three seconds. They took a lead they would not give back on a four-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson.
DYLAN RAIOLA TO JAMARI JOHNSON TOUCHDOWN OREGON TAKES THE LEAD WITH 28 SECONDS LEFT pic.twitter.com/3TuqkjB2Tp
— FD (@flooduck) October 18, 2026
Oregon got lucky. Its final offensive possession should’ve been a lot more difficult than it was.
The college football officials missed an illegal formation penalty on Oregon.
Oregon ran its 17th play of the drive on 4th-and-1 from the six-yard-line. Running back Jordon Davison took the direct snap out of the wildcat formation and ran two yards for a first down. Nebraska could’ve won the game with a defensive stop. It failed to do so.
However, the play should’ve been blown dead before it started. The Ducks lined up in an illegal formation with five players in the backfield.
An illegal formation penalty is enforced as a five-yard penalty. Oregon would have and should have been moved back to the 11-yard-line for 4th-and-6 instead of 4th-and-1 from the six.
To make matters worse, the officials also missed a holding penalty on the game-winning touchdown. It was as clear as day.
The refs missed a lot tonight, including a critical delay of game that wasn’t called against Oregon, but nothing as critical as this non-holding call when Oregon threw the winning touchdown. pic.twitter.com/JK1rduTR6E
— Tim Templeton (@timtempleton) October 18, 2026
One single play does not lead to a win or a loss. A win or a loss is decided by the sum of four quarters.
With that being said, the Ducks would’ve had a much more difficult time converting the first down and scoring a touchdown on their final drive of the game if the referees had not missed two clear penalties. The Cornhuskers were robbed of an opportunity.