Dante Moore injury update: QB suffered concussion against USC, expected to return this season

Oregon star quarterback Dante Moore suffered a concussion Saturday against USC, Oregon coach Dan Lanning announced Sunday night.

“Dante suffered a concussion during last night’s game, but fortunately his MRI and CT scans came back clean and he suffered no additional injuries,” Lanning said in a statement. “Every concussion is different, and we will move forward with an abundance of caution to ensure we make the best decisions for Dante and his future.”

Moore is expected to go through concussion protocol with no clear timetable yet for his return.

Moore left the game in the second quarter of Oregon’s 41-27 win over USC after suffering a terrifying hit, which led to the ejection of Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens.

Play was stopped for several minutes after Moore’s injury. He was carried off the field, placed in an ambulance and transported to a local hospital. NBC reported during the game that Moore had movement in his extremities.

After the game, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning provided an update on Moore.

“He’s recovering, so I don’t want to speak too early, but he’s moving; he has the ability to move,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said after the game. “So we’re going to continue to evaluate him, but I don’t want to speak too soon, but he’s moving.”

Moore completed 8 of 10 passes early in the game against USC before exiting.

A third-team All-Big Ten selection a season ago, Moore entered the season as a projected first-round pick.

What’s next for Oregon?

Dylan Raiola took Moore’s spot in the lineup and led Oregon on six scoring drives on seven attempts.

Raiola is expected to lead the Ducks as QB1 in Moore’s absence. A former five-star recruit and two-year starter at Nebraska, Raiola transferred to Oregon this offseason. He knew there was a chance Moore would return to school for his fourth college season, but Raiola was willing to wait at Oregon as a backup because of the program’s history of developing and containing quarterbacks.

Now, Oregon may have to rely on Raiola during a critical part of the season.

The Ducks have a bye week next weekend before facing undefeated UCLA and Nebraska. If Raiola were to start for the Ducks against the Huskers, it would be a reunion for Raiola and his old team.

Moore returned to school after entering the 2026 NFL Draft, where he was widely projected as a first-round pick.

He played pretty well in Oregon’s 3-1 start. Moore threw for 926 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 69.7 percent of his passes.

Reaction to blow

Several Oregon players called Stephens’ hit on Moore “dirty” after the game.

USC coach Lincoln Riley opened his postgame comments by reflecting on the play.

“I never want to see that with any opponent, no matter how competitive the game is,” Riley said. “At the end of the day, they’re all people on both sides. So let’s wish him a speedy recovery.”

Stephens’ Instagram page was immediately hit with hateful messages from fans after the stunt, leading the account to go private after the match. He was not made available to the media following the USC loss.

As of Sunday morning, Stephens’ “X” account remained public.

USC coach Lincoln Riley opened his postgame comments by reflecting on the play.

“I never want to see that with any opponent, no matter how competitive the game is,” Riley said. “At the end of the day, they’re all people on both sides. So let’s wish him a speedy recovery.”

Riley faced questions about Stephens’ presence on the USC sideline following his ejection.

“Why (was he there)?” Riley replied. “Because he’s on our football team.”

Lanning upset

The Oregon coach said he tried to calm his team after Moore’s ordeal and led a team prayer on the sideline, asking his group to maintain composure in the wake of the injury.

“It’s a disgusting room,” Lanning said. “We don’t want this to happen. It’s disappointing that this happened. I pray that our player is healthy and I pray that his player can learn from this situation.

“There’s a reason why targeting exists in football, and it’s as clear as day-to-day targeting. It’s a shame that this happened to a good player when, in my mind, it certainly could have been avoided.”

Lanning was asked about USC appearing to celebrate the hit on his sideline.

“I didn’t see any of that, and if that’s how anyone else operated, that’s really disappointing,” Lanning said. “At that point, for me, I challenge myself to focus on the present moment and the things that I can control. We try to have a single-minded focus. Our guys respect the game. I don’t think that’s necessarily an indictment of Coach Riley, because I can’t speak to what I haven’t seen.