Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Announces Dante Moore Injury Update After USC Win

On September 18, 2026, the No. 20 Oregon Ducks claimed a commanding 41-27 victory over the No. 12 USC Trojans at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Starting quarterback Dante Moore suffered a severe head and neck injury when USC defensive back made contact with him late as he slid to the ground. Moore had to be carried off the field on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital for further assessment. However, he was able to move his extremities, indicating a positive improvement in his condition.

After the game, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning provided an update on Moore's status during a press conference. "Certainly the energy changed whenever Dante got hurt," Lanning stated to Nick Hamilton, "We had a lot of guys on the sideline that were emotional in that moment, including myself, but right now indications are that he’s in recovery, so I don’t want to speak too soon, but he is moving, he has the ability to move, so we’ll continue to assess him, but I don’t want to speculate on further thoughts on that until we have more information on him."

Raiola stepped into the starting role, having transferred from Nebraska knowing the possibility of Moore's return. Despite missing two seasons, Raiola demonstrated his prowess by completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards, scoring two touchdowns, and maintaining no turnovers. This impressive performance helped Oregon secure their 3-1 season record.