Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was taken off the field on a stretcher in a neck brace after a heavy hit from USC linebacker Desman Stephens. The injury occurred during a slide in the second quarter of the Saturday night game.
The Heisman Trophy contender remained down before being attended to by medical personnel. The game was delayed for about 15 minutes as medical staff treated Moore before he was taken from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
How did the injury happen?
Deep Dive
What is a fencing response in relation to head injuries?
What led to Dante Moore's injury during the game against USC?
What are the NCAA regulations regarding targeting in football?
The frightening sequence unfolded in the second quarter after Moore slid to end an 11-yard run to the USC 12-yard line. USC linebacker Desman Stephens came in low and struck Moore in the head and chest with his shoulder. Moore’s head snapped backward and then hit the turf.
Moore was visibly moving both hands while strapped to the stretcher as he was being loaded into the waiting ambulance. Oregon later replaced him with Dylan Raiola, who threw a touchdown pass to Evan Stewart on his second snap to give the Ducks a 10-7 lead.
{{/usCountry}}Moore was visibly moving both hands while strapped to the stretcher as he was being loaded into the waiting ambulance. Oregon later replaced him with Dylan Raiola, who threw a touchdown pass to Evan Stewart on his second snap to give the Ducks a 10-7 lead.
{{/usCountry}}The hit led to Stephens being ejected for targeting. Players from both teams became involved in a confrontation. Officials eventually assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties before play resumed.
What is the ‘fencing response’?
Following the incident, some fans on social media speculated that Moore appeared to display a “fencing response.”
The fencing response is an involuntary body posture that can occur immediately after certain traumatic brain injuries. According to National Institute of Health, it involves abnormal arm positioning caused by disruption of brain pathways following a significant impact to the head.
One widely shared post on X claimed Moore appeared to exhibit a “fencing response”describing it as a possible sign of concussion or traumatic brain injury. Those claims remain unverified, and Oregon has not confirmed any such diagnosis.
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Latest on Moore’s condition
As of publication, Oregon had not released an official medical update regarding Moore’s condition beyond the events witnessed on the field.
The Ducks quarterback is widely projected as one of the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft and entered Saturday’s contest as one of college football’s leading Heisman Trophy candidates.
Stephens, meanwhile, was escorted to the USC locker room after his targeting ejection. The junior linebacker entered the season as a starter after recording 89 tackles last year.