Oregon quarterback Dante Moore taken to hospital after head injury in win over USC
Dante Moore left the game with a head injury after a hit during a slide; he was transported to a hospital and is reported to be moving, while the player who delivered the hit was ejected for targeting.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was removed from the second-quarter action of the Ducks' 41-27 victory over USC after his head struck the ground while sliding following a hit by USC defender Desman Stephens II. The contact resulted in an immediate personal-foul penalty and a flag for targeting, and Stephens was ejected from the game.
Medical staff attended to Moore on the field for several minutes before he was placed on a cart and taken to an ambulance that exited the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He was then transported to Los Angeles General Medical Center. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said Moore was able to move his arms and was “moving; he has the ability to move,” adding that the team would continue to assess his condition.
After Moore’s departure, backup quarterback Dylan Raiola entered the game and threw a play-action touchdown two plays later, helping Oregon extend its lead. The Ducks went on to pull away in the second half.
Moore entered the season as a leading candidate for the 2026 Heisman Trophy and a potential top-two pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, having posted a 72 percent completion rate, 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his first year as a starter in 2025. Through the first four weeks of the 2026 season, he had accumulated 849 passing yards and nine touchdowns without an interception.