Oregon Star Quarterback Dante Moore Hospitalized After Late Hit; Ducks Rally to Defeat USC in Chaotic College Football Saturday
Saturday's broader schedule produced high-stakes drama across the nation, featuring major upsets in the Big Ten and wild finishes in the SEC.
Los jugadores de los Oregon Ducks celebran una victoria
College football’s slate of Saturday games was overshadowed by a terrorific scene at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where Oregon starting quarterback Dante Moore was carted off the field on a stretcher and transported by ambulance to a local hospital following a late hit during the No. 20 Ducks’ 41–27 victory over No. 12 USC.
The incident occurred with 10:05 remaining in the second quarter. Scrambling up the middle on second-and-9, Moore gained 10 yards before initiating a feet-first slide to yield the play. USC linebacker Desman Stephens II launched forward, driving his shoulder into Moore’s head and neck area.
The contact slammed Moore’s helmet against the turf, leaving the junior quarterback motionless on the field.Medical personnel attended to Moore for nearly 15 minutes, stabilizing his neck before loading him onto a stretcher amid silence from the crowd. Tensions flared on the field as players from both teams had to be separated near the end zone. Stephens was ejected for targeting.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning addressed the injury following the game, offering preliminary details on Moore's condition while reflecting on the severity of the tackle. "He is moving, and he has movement in his extremities, so we will continue to evaluate him," Lanning said. "It is a situation you never want to see in this sport. I am praying for Dante's recovery, and I hope lessons are learned regarding player safety."
Despite the emotional setback, Oregon responded behind true freshman backup quarterback Dylan Raiola. Entering the game cold, Raiola completed a touchdown pass to receiver Evan Stewart on his second snap, giving Oregon a 10–7 lead before halftime. The Ducks outscored USC 31–20 in the second half to hand the Trojans their first defeat of the season.
Oregon officials announced that comprehensive updates on Dante Moore’s status will be released following further neurological evaluation at the hospital.
Top 25 Round-Up: Upsets and SEC Thrillers Reshape National Landscape
Saturday's broader schedule produced high-stakes drama across the nation, featuring major upsets in the Big Ten and wild finishes in the SEC.
- No. 17 Iowa 20, No. 18 Michigan 19: In an old-school Big Ten defensive battle at Michigan Stadium, Iowa pulled off a shocking victory as time expired. Trailing by five in the final seconds, the Hawkeyes executed a game-winning touchdown pass as the clock hit zero to silence the crowd at The Big House.
- No. 21 Florida 52, No. 4 Ole Miss 28: Florida authored the biggest blowout upset of the day in Gainesville, disarming fourth-ranked Ole Miss. Running back Jadan Baugh scored three touchdowns as the Gators' rushing attack sliced through the Rebels' defense, handing Ole Miss its first loss of the season.
- Wisconsin 24, No. 13 Penn State 20: Penn State was stunned at home after Wisconsin delivered a late second-half comeback. The Badgers sealed the upset with a dramatic 70-yard touchdown strike in the closing minutes, stifling Penn State's final drive to secure the road win.
- No. 1 Texas 20, No. 14 Tennessee 17: The top-ranked Longhorns narrowly avoided a road defeat in Knoxville. Texas built an early lead and survived a furious fourth-quarter push from the Volunteers, who recovered a late onside kick but failed to move into field goal range before time expired.
- No. 10 LSU 35, No. 23 Texas A&M 6: LSU put on a defensive clinic in Baton Rouge, holding Texas A&M without a touchdown and forcing three turnovers in a dominant conference performance.
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