Ducks Experience Range of Emotions In Win at USC

Saturday, September 26

Los Angeles, CA

4:30 PM

University of Oregon

3-1 , 1-0

USC

4-1 , 1-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Oregon	3	10	14	14	41
USC	0	10	10	7	27

PDF Box Score

Photo by: Samuel Marshall/Eric Evans Photography

09/26/26 | Football

Box Score #20 Oregon 41, #12 USC 27

Oregon overcame a scary injury to quarterback Dante Moore by rallying to beat the Trojans on the road Saturday.

By: Rob Moseley

LOS ANGELES — All the heroics and heartbreak that sports can produce were there for the Oregon football team on Saturday.

In the first half of a top-25 showdown at USC, the Ducks saw their starting quarterback lost to a scary injury. In the second half, their backup quarterback rallied them to a two-touchdown victory over their long-time West Coast rivals.

Oregon enters its bye week with both a jolt of momentum and a chance to process the emotions of Dante Moore's injury situation after the No. 20 Ducks beat No. 12 USC on Saturday, 41-27. After Moore left the stadium in an ambulance following a dirty hit in the second quarter, the UO football team rallied around backup Dylan Raiola and posted its fifth straight win over the Trojans.

"Seeing him like that shook the whole team," Raiola said. "But at the same time, we knew that it was our brother, and we were gonna fight for him."

The Ducks (3-1) trailed 7-3 in the second quarter when Moore tucked the ball on a run into the USC red zone, slid and was targetted in the head by a defender. After team medical staff raced to stabilize Moore, amid a melee on the field as Trojans players celebrated the dirty play, Raiola threw a touchdown pass two plays later to Evan Stewart.

Oregon never trailed again.

Raiola, the transfer from Nebraska with ample Big Ten experience, showed it by completing 19-of-25 passes for 289 and two touchdowns.

"Every guy on the sideline had faith in him," UO coach Dan Lanning said. "He was ready for his moment. … When his number got called, he was ready for it and he was able to execute. So, really proud of that."

Dan Lanning Angry Point USC

Moore was transported to a local hospital after being taken off the field on a stretcher. Lanning said postgame he had movement and withheld other details pending further evaluation.

"You know, it's disappointing that that would happen," he said. "But I thought our players did a great job of resetting."

A game projected by some to be a high-scoring shootout turned into one at times in the second half. Oregon twice built 10-point leads on a pair of Dierre Hill rushing touchdowns in the third quarter, but USC rallied back to forge a 27-27 tie early in the fourth quarter behind a passing attack that produced 326 yards.

Bear Alexander

But after Oklahoma State scored the final nine points of Oregon's loss on the road earlier in the month, it was the Ducks who scored the final 14 on Saturday. Raiola threw a touchdown pass to Dakorien Moore, and Jordon Davison capped it off with 2:13 left in the game.

"We just came together and said we're gonna do it for Dante," Dakorien Moore said. "You know, we're gonna get our team together, we're gonna go out there and make Dante proud."

Jamari Johnson Hurdle

Tight end Jamari Johnson led the Ducks in receiving with seven catches for 119 yards, returning to the lineup after missing two games due to injury. Hill became the first UO running back with over 100 receiving yards in a game since De'Anthony Thomas in 2012, piling up 105.

Devon Jackson led the UO defense with 11 tackles, and safety Koi Perich had seven tackles plus an interception on USC's final offensive play. That gave the Ducks the only forced turnover of the night, and they also had the fewest penalties, five for 50 yards.