Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Oregon Beats USC 41–27 as Raiola Replaces Injured Dante Moore
Dylan Raiola threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns after Dante Moore left by ambulance, and No. 20 Oregon broke a 27–27 tie with the final 14 points.
No. 20 Oregon left the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with a 41–27 win over No. 12 USC, but the result came after a frightening second-quarter injury to starting quarterback Dante Moore. USC linebacker Desman Stephens hit Moore late on a slide, was ejected for targeting, and Moore was taken by ambulance to Los Angeles General Medical Center.
Backup Dylan Raiola immediately kept the offense moving. He finished with 289 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Oregon scored on four second-half touchdown drives and produced 504 total yards. Oregon coach Dan Lanning said after the game that Moore had movement in all extremities at the hospital; no diagnosis is inferred here beyond that reported update.
A late hit changed the game in the second quarter
Moore was hit after beginning a slide, and officials ejected Stephens for targeting. Play stopped for roughly 15 minutes while Moore received medical attention before being transported to the hospital.
The Los Angeles Times reported Lanning’s postgame update that Moore had movement in all extremities. The available reports did not provide a definitive diagnosis, so the health update should not be extended beyond what the team said.
Raiola turned a sudden assignment into four second-half touchdowns
Raiola threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Evan Stewart on his second snap. After halftime, Oregon scored touchdowns on four drives, including Dierre Hill Jr.’s two rushing scores.
With the score tied 27–27, Raiola found Dakorien Moore for a 29-yard go-ahead touchdown with 8:35 left. Jordon Davison added a two-yard touchdown with 2:03 remaining to close the scoring.
The numbers show how Oregon pulled away
Oregon finished with 504 total yards, including 366 through the air. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava passed for 326 yards and two touchdowns, but Oregon stopped the Trojans on downs at midfield after retaking the lead.
The win gave Oregon a 1–0 Big Ten record and extended its winning streak over USC to five games. USC returns home against Washington on October 3; Oregon’s next-quarterback decision depends on Moore’s medical status and should be confirmed through team updates.