Oregon quarterback Dante Moore found himself at the center of a frightening moment during the Ducks’ showdown with USC on September 26.
Moore went down after taking a hit from a Trojans defender while attempting to protect himself on a second-quarter play. The contact immediately drew attention because of its timing and because Moore took a severe blow to his head, and reaction spread rapidly across social media.
Several viewers accused USC of taking a cheap shot at the Oregon quarterback, while others questioned whether the play should have resulted in a targeting call, which eventually was confirmed.
Both teams had to be separated following the play.
The immediate concern, however, was Moore’s health. After he went down, Moore displayed the fencing response, which can be common after a concussion.
Moore was carted off the field and taken out of the stadium in an ambulance.
USC’s Desman Stephens was ejected from the game for the hit.
Oregon’s Dylan Raiola replaced Moore in the game. And the Ducks scored two plays later to take a 10-7 lead.
Oregon made an announcement about Moore after he exited.
Karthyn Tepper reported for NBC that Moore was taken LA General Country Hospital for further evaluation. As Moore exited, Tepper reported, he was seen moving his legs and fingers.
In This Story
- Dante Moore injury update and doctor reaction
- Video and reaction to the USC targeting hit
- Dylan Raiola replaces Moore for Oregon
- Moore’s injury history and NFL Draft decision
- Whether Desman Stephens II could face a suspension
Dante Moore Injury: Doctor Weighs in After USC Hit
Sports medicine physician Dr. Jesse Morse offered an early assessment of Moore’s injury based on the video of the play, pointing to the apparent helmet-to-helmet contact and the way the back of Moore’s head struck the turf.
Morse wrote on X that the sequence was consistent with what he described as a “coup and contrecoup” mechanism, with the initial impact followed by Moore’s head hitting the ground. He also said he believed another angle showed a possible “fencing response,” a reaction that can sometimes be associated with a concussion.
“At the minimum, this is a concussion, but likely a neck sprain as well,” Morse wrote.
Morse also pointed to a potentially encouraging sign in reports that Moore was able to raise his hands and move his fingers after the play, saying that would generally be reassuring with regard to a major spinal cord injury
Those comments were an outside medical interpretation based on video and not an official diagnosis from Oregon. As of publication, the Ducks had not announced the full extent of Moore’s injury.
The concern around the play only added to the backlash surrounding the hit, with Morse calling it “very scary and completely unnecessary.”
USC Hit Video Shows Dante Moore Injury
Video of the play quickly circulated on X, with several college football accounts criticizing the USC defender’s hit.
Others went further in criticizing the play itself. Flooduck posted that USC had committed a “dirty targeting” hit on Moore, while Sports and Business Joe Pompliano reporter wrote: “That hit on Dante Moore was obviously dirty but running around celebrating while he is fencing is beyond classless.”
The volume of the reaction showed just how quickly the hit became one of the central talking points of the ranked Big Ten matchup.
The game carried significant stakes for both programs. Oregon entered the night ranked No. 20 with a 2-1 record after rebounding from its loss to Oklahoma State with an 84-0 win over Portland State. USC entered unbeaten at 4-0 and ranked No. 12.
Please pray for the healing of the Ducks QB and potential QB1 in the 2027 NFL Draft 🙏
Dylan Raiola Replaces Dante Moore for Oregon
It’s Dylan Raiola time.
Oregon was forced to turn to Dylan Raiola in one of the biggest games of the season. The former Nebraska starter transferred to Oregon during the offseason and gives the Ducks a highly experienced backup option, but taking over unexpectedly against a ranked USC team would put Raiola in an immediate pressure situation.
Raiola started 22 games over two seasons at Nebraska, completing 456 of 660 passes for 4,819 yards, 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He completed 69.1% of his passes across his Nebraska career.
His biggest statistical jump came as a sophomore in 2025. Raiola completed 72.4% of his passes for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions in nine games, setting a Nebraska single-season record for completion percentage. He led the Huskers to a 6-3 record in those starts before suffering a season-ending injury against, ironically, USC.
What Happened to Dante Moore? QB’s Injury History, NFL Draft Decision Loom Larger After USC Hit
Moore has generally avoided major injuries during his college career, although he has absorbed his share of significant hits.
During Oregon’s 2025 game against Wisconsin, Moore was removed after taking a hard hit, but head coach Dan Lanning indicated afterward that the quarterback could have returned if Oregon needed him. Later that season against Indiana, Moore took repeated punishment during a six-sack performance and was seen limping, but he remained in the game and did not miss subsequent action.
Moore was eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and was widely projected as one of the top quarterback prospects available. Instead, he announced on January 14 that he would return to Oregon, explaining that he wanted to be better prepared for the NFL and continue pursuing a national championship with the Ducks.
The decision carried a significant financial component. CBS Sports reported that Moore passed on the possibility of a top-five selection and a rookie contract potentially worth roughly $55 million by remaining in college.
Clearly Dante Moore is giving himself up
Could USC’s Desman Stephens II Be Suspended?
Under the NCAA’s new targeting rules, USC linebacker Desman Stephens II will not necessarily face a suspension.
Beginning with the 2026 season, the NCAA instituted a progressive punishment system for targeting. A player’s first targeting disqualification of the season results in an ejection from that game, but the player remains eligible for the next contest. A second targeting offense requires the player to miss the first half of his team’s following game, while a third carries a full-game suspension.
Stephens did not enter he Oregon game with a previous targeting disqualification this season, meaning a first offense would not automatically keep him out of USC’s next game.
Dante Moore Injury: Controversial USC Hit Knocks Oregon Star Out