LOS ANGELES — Oregon faced a gut-wrenching moment Saturday night when starting quarterback Dante Moore was forced from the field, but the Ducks responded with one of their most impressive performances of the season.
Dylan Raiola stepped into the spotlight and delivered, throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns as No. 20 Oregon rallied past No. 12 Southern California 41-27 at the Coliseum.
The victory gave Oregon a 3-1 record overall and a 1-0 start to Big Ten play, while USC dropped to 4-1 and 1-1 in conference action.
The game changed dramatically in the second quarter when Moore, a Heisman Trophy candidate and projected high NFL draft pick, was injured after USC linebacker Desman Stephens delivered a late hit as Moore slid.
Stephens was ejected for targeting, and play was stopped for approximately 15 minutes while medical personnel attended to Moore. He was eventually taken from the stadium in an ambulance.
The scene visibly affected the Oregon sideline.
“Seeing him like that shook the whole team,” Raiola said. “But at the same time, we knew we were going to fight for him.”
Raiola, who spent two seasons as Nebraska’s starting quarterback before transferring to Oregon in January, immediately showed that he was prepared for the opportunity.
On his second snap, Raiola found Evan Stewart for a 3-yard touchdown.
From there, he steadily took control of the Oregon offense.
The Ducks exploded for 270 yards and four touchdowns after halftime, repeatedly finding ways to attack a USC defense that struggled to contain either Oregon quarterback.
Oregon finished with 504 total yards and averaged 7.4 yards per play.
Raiola completed 19 of 25 passes and came through with several critical throws during the second half.
USC managed to erase a 10-point deficit and pull even when Tanook Hines caught a touchdown pass with 12:41 remaining.
The Trojans had momentum and the home crowd was fully engaged.
Oregon quickly took it back.
Raiola led the Ducks down the field before connecting with Dakorien Moore for a 29-yard touchdown with 8:35 remaining, putting Oregon back in front.
The Oregon defense then delivered its biggest stand of the night.
USC reached midfield but failed to convert, with the Ducks forcing three consecutive incompletions to end the possession.
Jordon Davison eventually put the game out of reach, scoring on a 2-yard run with 2:03 remaining.
Dierre Hill Jr. also made a major contribution after halftime, rushing for two touchdowns as Oregon’s offense consistently found running room.
The Ducks’ offensive explosion was particularly impressive considering how uncertain their season looked only a few weeks ago.
Oregon entered the season ranked No. 2 but barely escaped Boise State before suffering a surprising loss to Oklahoma State.
Saturday’s victory provided a major response.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning said the injury to Moore immediately changed the atmosphere on the sideline.
“Certainly there was an energy change when Dante got hurt,” Lanning said, calling Stephens’ hit “a disgusting play.”
“We’ve got a lot of guys on the sideline who were emotional in that moment, including myself. All these guys went out and played for 5. But every guy on the sideline had faith in Raiola. He was ready for his moment.”
Lanning was cautious when asked about Moore’s condition, saying he only had secondhand information from the medical staff.
“He’s in recovery, so I don’t want to speak too soon, but he is moving, and he does have the ability to move,” Lanning said.
While Oregon found answers offensively, USC once again struggled to produce enough defensively in a high-profile game.
Jayden Maiava threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns, but the Trojans could not consistently slow Oregon’s attack.
The loss continued a frustrating stretch for USC coach Lincoln Riley in marquee games.
The Trojans had not lost at the Coliseum since 2024 and entered Saturday with an opportunity to make a statement against a ranked Oregon team.
Instead, USC surrendered touchdowns on seven of Oregon’s nine drives.
Riley acknowledged that a handful of crucial mistakes ultimately decided the outcome.
“Came down to a couple of plays, like games with two really good teams typically come down to,” Riley said. “We made a few too many errors there in the end, especially when we got momentum there in the fourth quarter, and they did a good job to capitalize on them.”
Streaks Continue
The result extended Oregon’s dominance in the rivalry.
USC has now lost five consecutive games to the Ducks, with its last victory coming in 2016.
Oregon also maintained a remarkable September streak, avoiding a second September loss in the same season for the first time since 2016.
The Ducks also remain unbeaten in Big Ten road games.
During the overlapping tenures of Lanning at Oregon and Riley at USC, the Ducks are now 3-0 against the Trojans.
The Takeaway
Oregon: The victory demonstrated the Ducks’ depth and resilience. Raiola stepped into a difficult situation and produced a strong performance, while the offense generated more than 500 yards. The biggest concern moving forward, however, will be Moore’s health.
USC: The Trojans once again came up short in a high-profile matchup. Maiava produced through the air, but the defense struggled throughout the night and could not make the crucial stops after USC had rallied in the fourth quarter.
What’s Next:
Oregon will have a bye before returning Oct. 10 to host UCLA.
USC remains home next Saturday, Oct. 3, when Washington visits the Coliseum.
