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Why isn’t Oregon QB Dante Moore playing against Michigan today? Get the latest on his absence and Dylan Raiola’s start for the Ducks in the crucial matchup.
The Oregon Ducks had a leading Heisman Trophy contender in quarterback Dante Moore heading into the season. But Moore has not played in five straight games as the Ducks now struggle for a playoff spot, coming into the week at No. 16 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Moore will not play Saturday against the Michigan Wolverines, still sidelined by the concussion that has reportedly ended his 2026 season.
The Ducks must once again lean on a backup quarterback whose season has swung between a benching and a road upset of Ohio State.
Moore is listed as out on the final Big Ten availability report for Saturday’s game, and Oregon carries no game-time decisions. No path exists for him to take the field.
Head coach Dan Lanning closed that door on Oct. 26, nearly three weeks ago.
“I’m not anticipating him being back, no,” Lanning said at his weekly news conference, as quoted by The Associated Press.
Lanning added that the decision does not belong to Moore, who would be on the field if the choice were his. Moore has not received medical clearance for game action.
Oregon’s Dante Moore Injury Timeline and Heisman Fallout
The injury dates to Sept. 26, in the first half of Oregon’s 41-27 win at USC. Moore slid at the end of a scramble and took a late hit from Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens, who drew a targeting flag and an ejection, according to a report by On3.
Moore left the field on a cart and rode to a hospital by ambulance. Scans came back normal. He still awaits medical clearance to play in games.
He returned to practice in October, and Lanning said the quarterback is expected to make a full recovery. Practice gives Oregon a setting it can control. Games are a different story.
Saturday marks seven weeks since the hit. Moore has already missed games against UCLA, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern and Ohio State. Michigan makes six.
Before the injury, Moore threw for 926 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception in four games, three of them Oregon wins. The Ducks opened the season ranked No. 2 in the country.
Moore also opened the year as a preeminent Heisman Trophy candidate, with odds in the range of +1000 to +1200. After the concussion, his odds lengthened to +4500 or longer. With four games played and no return coming, his candidacy is finished.
Dylan Raiola Leads Oregon Playoff Push vs. Michigan
Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola, a former five-star recruit, has taken most of the snaps in Moore’s place. His results split into two distinct stretches.
The first three games without Moore produced only 42 total points. Raiola completed 6 of 19 passes with two interceptions in a 17-15 loss to UCLA. Brock Thomas started against Nebraska before Raiola came off the bench to lead a late rally in a 17-14 win. A 21-10 loss at Illinois followed.
Oregon then fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer and handed play-calling duties to Jay Johnson. The offense changed immediately.
Raiola threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-26 win over No. 20 Northwestern. A week later in Columbus, he passed for 257 yards and two scores as the Ducks upset Ohio State, 41-28.
That victory lifted Oregon to 6-3 and seven spots higher in the CFP rankings, though No. 16 still sits outside the top 12.
Projection models place Oregon’s playoff odds near 30% entering Saturday. A win over Michigan, which comes to Eugene at 5-4, pushes that figure toward 45%. A loss drops it to zero, or near to zero, anyway.
After Michigan, Oregon travels to Michigan State and closes at home against Washington. Winning all three would leave the Ducks at 9-3.
Oregon has averaged 37.5 points across its last two games with Raiola at quarterback and Johnson calling plays. The Ducks need that production to continue Saturday, because Moore is not coming back to supply it.
| OREGON DUCKS — 2026 SCHEDULE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | H/A | Time (ET) / Result | TV / W-L (Conf) |
| Sat, Sep 5 | Boise State | Home | W 34-27 | 1-0 (0-0) |
| Sat, Sep 12 | @ Oklahoma State | Away | L 39-31 | 1-1 (0-0) |
| Fri, Sep 18 | Portland State | Home | W 84-0 | 2-1 (0-0) |
| Sat, Sep 26 | @ #12 USC | Away | W 41-27 | 3-1 (1-0) |
| Sat, Oct 10 | #21 UCLA | Home | L 17-15 | 3-2 (1-1) |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Nebraska | Home | W 17-14 | 4-2 (2-1) |
| Sat, Oct 24 | @ Illinois | Away | L 21-10 | 4-3 (2-2) |
| Sat, Oct 31 | #20 Northwestern | Home | W 34-26 | 5-3 (3-2) |
| Sat, Nov 7 | @ #12 Ohio State | Away | W 41-28 | 6-3 (4-2) |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Michigan | Home | 3:30 PM | FS1 |
| Fri, Nov 20 | @ Michigan State | Away | 8:00 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Washington | Home | TBD | TBD |
| All times Eastern. Rankings as shown on source graphic. | ||||
Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist who covers MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, boxing, golf, and Olympic sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Newspaper and Press Association awards for sports feature writing. He was a sports editor and writer at The Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, Japan, covering the Olympics, pro baseball, boxing, sumo and other sports. More about Jonathan Vankin