It’s been a nightmare of a 2026 season for the Oregon Ducks, who entered the year as the No. 2-ranked team in the AP Poll.
Fast-forward to the final week of October, and they’re coming off their third loss of the season to the Illinois Fighting Illini and are now unranked.
While their struggles began early with a loss to Oklahoma State, things only got worse when star quarterback and expected first-round pick Dante Moore suffered a scary concussion against the USC Trojans that forced him to leave the game on a stretcher and in an ambulance.
Fortunately, doctors cleared Moore after his concussion. Although the injury has kept him sidelined for the last few weeks, he has continued traveling with the team and supporting his teammates from the sidelines.
Dan Lanning Announces Devastating News on Moore
After their latest loss, which likely killed their College Football Playoff hopes, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning announced a devastating update on Moore’s status as fans held out hope that he’d return at some point this season.
However, that won’t be the case. Lanning revealed Monday evening that Moore isn’t expected to play again this season for the Ducks. That would end his college career with his final snaps coming in that USC game as a member of Oregon’s football program.
NEW: Oregon star QB Dante Moore is not expected to return this season due to injury, Dan Lanning announced.
https://t.co/nSQNJM6ZS7
— On3 (@On3) October 27, 2026
Lanning’s Previous Comments on Moore
Earlier this month, when it seemed Oregon still had everything in front of them, Lanning sounded optimistic when asked whether Moore would return.
“Dante was out there at practice for us today,” Lanning said earlier this month. “Similar to what we’ve said before, we’re gonna continue to make sure we do what’s best for Dante as we move forward. Obviously, we’ll have an injury report released later on this week that will detail what that looks like. But it was great to see him back out there with his teammates able to get a little work in today.”
Ultimately, what’s best for Moore is focusing on the next phase of his football career at the NFL level rather than risking another injury or jeopardizing his chances of reaching the pros. Oregon appears to be out of contention at this point, making a return even less worthwhile.
With Moore now expected to miss the rest of the season, Dylan Raiola will continue as the starter, with Brock Thomas serving as the backup.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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