Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was removed from the game against USC on Saturday, September 26, 2026, after he was hit while beginning a slide during a second-quarter scramble.
USC linebacker Desman Stephens II was ejected for targeting after the play. Moore received medical attention on the field before being placed on a stretcher and transported to an ambulance in a neck brace. He was later taken to L.A. General Medical Center, according to reporting from the NBC broadcast.
The incident immediately became the main story of the Oregon-USC game because Moore was unable to continue at quarterback.
Here is what is known about the Dante Moore injury, the hit involving Desman Stephens II, his status, and what happened after he left the game.
What happened to Dante Moore against USC?
Dante Moore was injured during the second quarter of Oregon’s game against USC after he was hit while sliding on a scramble.
With 10:05 remaining in the second quarter, Moore escaped pressure and ran for a first down before beginning his slide. USC linebacker Desman Stephens II made contact with Moore during the play.
The officials immediately flagged Stephens for targeting. Moore remained on the field while Oregon’s medical staff evaluated him.
Medical personnel eventually placed Moore on a backboard and moved him onto a stretcher. He was wearing a neck brace when he was taken from the field and loaded into an ambulance.
The play also caused tension between the Oregon and USC players. Players from both teams gathered near the incident, and additional penalties were assessed after the confrontation.
Moore did not return to the game.
He was replaced by backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who took over the Oregon offense for the remainder of the game.
What injury did Dante Moore suffer?
The specific diagnosis from the Dante Moore injury had not been publicly confirmed in the latest reporting available.
Reports described Moore as having an apparent head injury after the contact during his slide. He received an on-field evaluation before being removed from the game and transported to L.A. General Medical Center for further medical assessment.
Moore was placed in a neck brace and transported on a stretcher. Those measures show that medical personnel treated the situation seriously, but they do not establish a specific diagnosis.
There was no confirmed public diagnosis of a concussion, neck injury or other specific medical condition in the reporting available at the time.
Is Dante Moore OK? Latest injury update
Dante Moore was taken from the USC game for medical evaluation and transported to a hospital, but a confirmed diagnosis had not been publicly announced in the latest reporting.
| Status | Latest information |
|---|---|
| Player | Dante Moore |
| Team | Oregon Ducks |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Injury | Injury sustained during USC game |
| Game status | Left the game |
| Medical care | Transported to L.A. General Medical Center |
| Confirmed diagnosis | Not publicly confirmed |
| Next status | Awaiting an official update |
Moore was able to move his fingers and feet and rotate his arms while being taken from the field, according to the Field Level Media report citing the NBC broadcast.
What happened on the hit involving Desman Stephens II?
Dante Moore scrambled for a first down, began his slide and was then contacted by USC linebacker Desman Stephens II.
The play occurred with 10:05 remaining in the second quarter. Moore had escaped pressure and was running before starting his slide.
Stephens II made contact as Moore was going down. The officials immediately called targeting against the USC linebacker.
Moore remained on the field while medical personnel attended to him. He was later taken away on a stretcher and transported to an ambulance.
Stephens II was disqualified from the game because of the targeting call.
The play also led to a confrontation involving players from Oregon and USC. Both teams received additional penalties after the incident.
Why was Desman Stephens II ejected?
Desman Stephens II was ejected because officials ruled his contact with Dante Moore a targeting foul.
Targeting is a football penalty involving prohibited contact with an opponent, particularly contact involving the head or neck area under the applicable playing rules.
The officials assessed the targeting penalty during the play and disqualified Stephens II from the game. Reports also said both teams received penalties after players confronted one another following the hit.
The ejection was therefore a direct consequence of the targeting ruling.
The penalty and ejection are relevant to the Dante Moore injury story because they explain what happened to the USC defender immediately after the play.
Who replaced Dante Moore at quarterback?
Dylan Raiola replaced Dante Moore at quarterback after Moore left the game.
Raiola is an Oregon quarterback who transferred from Nebraska before the 2026 season. He entered the USC game after Moore was removed for medical evaluation.
Raiola had already appeared for Oregon earlier in the season. In Oregon’s Week 3 game against Portland State, he completed 11 of 11 passes for 124 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Against USC, Raiola took over the offense after Moore’s injury and continued playing at quarterback.
His entry gave Oregon a different quarterback for the remainder of the game while Moore received medical care away from the field.
What were Dante Moore’s stats before the injury?
Dante Moore completed 8 of 10 passes for 77 yards before leaving the USC game with an injury.
| Statistic | Dante Moore |
|---|---|
| Pass completions | 8 |
| Pass attempts | 10 |
| Passing yards | 77 |
| Status | Left game with injury |
These figures are his statistics from the USC game before his removal.
They should not be confused with Moore’s season totals.
Before the USC game, Moore had already established himself as Oregon’s starting quarterback during the 2026 season. Oregon’s official statistics listed him with 849 passing yards and 9 passing touchdowns through 3 games.
Why Dante Moore’s injury matters to Oregon?
Dante Moore’s injury matters because he entered the 2026 season as Oregon’s starting quarterback and one of the central players in the Ducks’ offense.
Oregon had Moore back as its starting quarterback after he led the team to the College Football Playoff semifinal in 2025.
Moore had also produced 849 passing yards and 9 touchdowns through Oregon’s first 3 games of the 2026 season.
