Oregon and USC faced off Saturday night, reviving an old Pac-12 rivalry between two powerhouse programs now in the Big Ten. But early in the second quarter, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore went down with one of the scariest injuries of the 2026 season. Flanked by four Trojans rushers, the Ducks' star QB scrambled out of the pocket and ran up the middle of the field for a big gain.
But while trying to slide down at the end of the run, his head slammed into the ground following a late hit from USC's Desman Stephens II. The play drew an immediate targeting flag, and Stephens was ejected from the game. Moore was tended to on the field for several minutes before being placed on a backboard, carted off, and taken away by ambulance.
He was reportedly moving his arms as he left and has since been transported to a local hospital in Los Angeles. More news: Jon Sumrall Drags His Wife Into Fiery Florida Rant After Ole Miss Blowout Moore is one of the best quarterbacks and biggest names in college football. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors last season, his first as Oregon's starter after backing up Dillon Gabriel, throwing for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns with 10 interceptions while completing 71.8% of his passes, along with 156 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
He led the Ducks to a 13-2 record and the College Football Playoff, where they fell in the semifinals to eventual national champion Indiana. Moore entered this season as one of the favorites for several national awards, including the Walter Camp, Davey O'Brien, and Maxwell Award, and a projected early first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. More news: Dabo Swinney Fires Back With Emotional Message After Clemson’s Win Over Cal More news: UNC Breaks Silence on Bill Belichick’s Son Resigning After Allegations The hope is that Moore's injury proves less severe than it looked and doesn't keep him out long.
If it does, Oregon isn't in bad shape at backup, though, with Dylan Raiola, a former five-star recruit and two-year starter at Nebraska, ready to step in. We should hopefully learn more about the extent of Moore's injury sometime tomorrow.
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