Lanning decries USC's 'disgusting' hit after Ducks' Moore knocked out of game — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Dante Moore was transported to Los Angeles General County Hospital after USC's Desman Stephens II slammed his head into the ground on a hit while Moore was attempting to slide on a first-quarter scramble, prompting a brawl between both teams.
- Stephens was ejected for targeting but returned to the Trojans' sideline for the remainder of the game; Oregon coach Dan Lanning called the play "disgusting" and deferred any further discipline to the Big Ten or USC.
- Moore, a preseason Heisman contender widely projected as a top pick in the 2027 NFL draft, had movement in all extremities and was moving in recovery, per Lanning's postgame update.
- Replacement quarterback Dylan Raiola stepped in and delivered 289 yards and two touchdowns as No. 20 Oregon outscored No. 12 USC 28-17 over the final two quarters.
- Lincoln Riley defended Stephens remaining on the sideline by saying "he's on our football team," while Oregon running back Dierre Hill Jr. called the hit "very dirty" and said it "lit a fire" in the Ducks.
- Lanning trolled USC by noting the Coliseum hadn't been full all season until Oregon came to town and crowed "3-0 against these guys," adding that top Southern California talent should "come to Oregon" rather than go to "a Chris Brown concert."
Why it matters: Moore's health is the immediate stakes — the Ducks' season and a likely No. 1-pick trajectory for 2027 hinge on the recovery timeline for a quarterback who had no separation as a slide. Oregon proved it can absorb the loss offensively (Raiola's 289 yards), but the targeting-ejection-plus-back-on-sideline sequence puts the Big Ten's supplemental discipline pipeline in the spotlight.
Ask SkimNews
