Desman Stephens II faces discipline for a dangerous collision that left quarterback Dante Moore concussed, forcing the Ducks to rely on Dylan Raiola during a crucial stretch.
The status of Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore is up in the air after he took an illegal hit from USC Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II in the second quarter.
Moore was sliding feet forward when Stephens collided into him, knocking the quarterback’s helmet into the turf. Moore suffered a concussion, and the timeline is unknown for his return. Oregon is on a bye this week.
Stephens appeared to be celebratory after hitting Moore. USC head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters after the Trojans' 41-27 loss that he was unaware of Stephens' actions after the hit.
Per multiple reports, USC suspended Stephens for its contest next week against the Washington Huskies.
Stephens apologized for his actions after the hit.
"I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during yesterday’s game," Stephens said. "Seeing a player injured like that is incredibly serious, and my reaction in the moments afterward was completely inappropriate and inexcusable."
With Moore out, the Ducks turned to backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who transferred to Oregon in the offseason after being a starter at Nebraska. (It was unclear when he transferred if Moore would return or declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.)
Raiola went 19 of 25 passing for 289 yards and two touchdowns against the Trojans on Saturday night. Moore went 8 of 10 passing for 77 yards before the injury on Saturday night.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning wasn't happy about the hit on Moore. Certainly, the actions displayed by Stephens reflected poorly on himself and the Trojans. USC entered the contest desperately needing a win over its Big Ten rival to the north.
The loss raised questions about whether Riley has the ability to lead the Trojans to the College Football Playoff.
Oregon has a crucial bye week
The Ducks earned some momentum going into their bye week. Oregon started the season sluggishly, with a seven-point win over Boise State at home before suffering a 39-31 upset loss to Oklahoma State in Week 2.
Oregon annihilated Portland State 84-0 in Week 3, but the Ducks really needed a strong showing against the Trojans to show they were back on track.
The Ducks will enter their bye knowing they can beat top teams in the Big Ten conference. Oregon will next play a UCLA program that is undefeated under first-year head coach Bob Chesney. The Bruins beat Maryland 54-3 on Saturday.
Oregon will have an extra week for Moore to clear the concussion protocol before playing UCLA. If he cannot play, the Ducks are in capable hands with Raiola before getting into the thick of their Big Ten schedule.
