No. 20 Oregon overcame the loss of star quarterback Dante Moore to a late hit to the head in the second quarter, earning a 41-27 win over No. 12 USC on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Moore’s replacement, Dylan Raiola, completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Ducks to their most impressive win of the season to date.
The Ducks (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) led 27-17 in the second half after Dierre Hill Jr.’s 4-yard touchdown run with 5:52 left in the third quarter.
Hill had set up his first scoring run, a 1-yard score, with a 62-yard reception on a screen pass that got Oregon inside the USC 10-yard line on its first drive of the second half.
Hill ran for 63 yards with Jordon Davison providing 66 yards, including a 45-yard run, and a short score.
USC (4-1, 1-1) rallied to tie the score at 27 on a Caden Chittenden field goal late in the third quarter and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Maiava to Tanook Hines early in the fourth.
A roughing-the-passer penalty on third-and-15 kept alive a Ducks possession in the fourth quarter, and Raiola hit Dakorien Moore for a 29-yard score with 8:35 to play for a 34-27 Oregon lead.
The Trojans got the ball back and moved to midfield, but Maiava misfired on three consecutive passes, the last one broken up by Brandon Finney Jr. on fourth down. The resulting turnover on downs gave the ball back to the Ducks, who took full advantage.
A few plays after the Ducks converted a fourth-and-3, Davison ran into the end zone for a 2-yard score to effectively end the game.
Moore, touted as both a Heisman Trophy candidate when the season began as well as a possible No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick, hit his head hard on the grass as a result of a shot from Desman Stephens, who was called for targeting and ejected.
Medical personnel attended to Moore for several minutes before carting him off the field and transporting him to a local hospital via ambulance. ESPN reported during the third quarter that Moore had movement in all of his extremities and was being evaluated thoroughly at Los Angeles General County Hospital, according to an Oregon football spokesperson.
Maiava passed for 342 yards with two touchdowns and a late interception, and also ran for a touchdown for USC. Kayden Wyatt-Dixon totaled seven receptions for 114 yards and a score, while King Miller led the rushing attack with 74 yards.
Oregon has won five straight meetings and nine of the last 11.