EUGENE - The Oregon Ducks avoided their fourth loss of the season and got their offense rolling in a big way in a 34-26 win over the No. 20 Northwestern Wildcats.
While the offense put its most points on the board since beating USC 41-27 on Sept. 26, injury concerns certainly hovered over the Ducks. Receiver Dakorien Moore put on his best statistical performance at Oregon before heading off the field late in the fourth quarter after getting crunched on a play.
Oregon receiver Dakorien Moore | Darby Winter
"It seems like Dakorien's gonna be good," coach Dan Lanning said postgame. "He just did a really good shot on the on the return. But in a little bit of pain, but I think that's not gonna be anything impactful for him. He told me when he was lying down the ground, 'I'm ready for the next play.'"
"I'm told him, 'Well, you have to come out for one, at least.' So I think he's gonna be in good shape," Lanning said.
Moore finished with 128 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Lanning went on during his answer to respond to a question about quarterback Dylan Raiola's decision on the final first down.
"And then yeah, you called it. A lot of times in four-minute situations, people play loose or really play tight, right? You're like, okay, we can keep the clock running. Make them use their time out to run the ball," he said.
"Instead, okay, we're gonna call naked here. It's either it's wide open or you're hitting the guy right with ball, or you run," Lanning added. "He made a big play, but I don't know if that was that was wide open. open. It played out a little differently than we thought it would, but players make plays."
"We'll coach the moment. He told me as soon as he came off the field, 'I owe you one.' I know that was a little bit careless, but don't you love that a little bit as a coach?"
Lanning spent his press conference addressing the improved confidence in this game, freshman running back Brandon Smith's big performance and the overall growth of the team.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the sideline as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"Obviously, an exciting game against a really good opponent. We thought Northwestern wasreally well coached and does an unbelievable job coming in, and there was evidence of that today by the way they operate. Their quarterback play is really special."
"He's a tough guy on the ground. They play tough in the run game on defense, and I kept telling our players it was really going to be about who could play harder for longer. I felt like that really showed up today."
"They had a lot of success on third down in the first half. We were able to stop some of their first and second-down game plan. They obviously hit the big explosive where they had a better answer than us. I thought our coaches made really good adjustments. Offensively, I felt like the rhythm that we've been searching for showed up in big moments."
"I thought our quarterback played with a lot of confidence and was able to execute in big moments. And a lot of guys had to step up. That maybe didn't get as many reps in practice, but had to show up with Jordon going down and Dierre being a little bit banged up."
"Saw Brandon Smith. Dink being able to show up and make some big plays for us in moments. So, it's tough to win games like that. I said earlier in the week we asked our players do a lot of things that men can't do, and we're down by two scores a lot of that game."
"There's a lot of people that pulled up in that moment. There was zero quits from our guys. They just kept feeling like it was one more play they had to go make, and we knew like it was every possession really mattered in the first half. They started with the ball. We knew in the second half we were going to start with the ball."
Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola, walks off after the Ducks' win as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"It didn't start off the way we wanted to in the second half, but our defense went out there and put out the fire. Their field goal kicker was outstanding today, which made it a real challenge. Like he kicked the ball extremely well, but I thought our defense did a good job of not folding down in the red area and making sure we were able to keep him out of touchdown situations and force field goals."
"And then it was all about one more play. And I thought we played the third down much better in the second half. Their quarterback is hard. When you designate a hat to go spy him and take him away, then you lose a little bit of the edge pressure that you can generate. You can't really do both. Zach actually asked that question earlier in the week, and we had to have kind of multiple game plans for both."
"And I thought we executed that much better in the second half when we were able to take away some of their success on third down, but it's a little bit of robbing Peter to pay Paul. You look at playing that game, and it was about kind of who guessed right."
"They guessed right a little bit more in the first half, but we guessed right a little bit more in the second half. So overall, great performance. Our fans were awesome. Certainly, feels great to do a walk away with a victory, and it was tight the entire game. But I thought our guys just did a little bit more."
"Yeah, I think that's not having huddling up every play I think helped certainly. I think it demanded a little bit more of our players, which they are certainly capable of. And then, like I said, this game was about letting it hang. We didn't see it, but we called it a halfback pass."
"We called it reverse, right? We took a shot. We pushed the ball down the field to do a fade down there in the red area. He said, 'Let's go let our guy win.' We went for it on fourth-and-two down there at the two-yard line. You know, our mindset was, hey, we're either going to punch this in, or they're gonna have to drive 99 yards, bring it back, and obviously we were able to punch it in, and that was a big, big, big play in that game."
Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning | Darby Winter
"And I thought Jay (Johnson) did a great job of having a feel for the game as well. That play he scored on there on 42. That was when he felt like calling earlier in that sequence. He felt like calling it on second down, and we probably all talked him out of it, so great execution by him coming back and trusting his gut. But that's a whole offensive performance and a whole defensive performance."
"We talked about putting all three phases together, and in moments we were all really, really good today. So, I felt like that's the closest we've been to a complete performance. That being said, there's a lot of things that we can still do a lot better."
"It's one of the hardest rushing attacks to really prepare for and schematically. I said it all week it's like you're playing, preparing for three different teams, and I thought our guys adjusted and identified what team we were getting, kind of based on each look once we settled in there."
"Yeah, there certainly was. I mean, we were trying to designate a guy to be responsible for him, and again, he can go either direction on a lot of those plays. So, they have a big play-action boot game, and it's tough when you're not bringing edges for him not to be able to break out of the pocket when they're running those."
"So you like to bring edge pressure. But then there were moments where he's going opposite the pressure and able to take that away. There's a couple plays I think you watch it, you're like, man, we had a guy there. We had to make that play. And what I'm proud of is those guys. Our guys were aggressive in those moments."
"But again, who's going to blast on a wide receiver just a little bit longer? He does a great job of keeping his eyes downfield. He did a great job being able to execute with his legs in the game. I know he gained over 100 yards, so we have a lot to improve there ultimately. But we were also able to kind of settle in then the second half and have a better plan for it."
Oct 31, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Brandon Smith (26) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half against theNorthwestern Wildcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"Yeah, I mean, one that's a really physical team that we just played, right? And a couple of our guys got banged up just within the play of the game, and also want to acknowledge, I shared a moment there where I think everybody in the stadium felt something similar when you saw Jon Jon Stevens go down for them."
"Your sitting there thinking, 'Man, I pray this kid's okay. I hope he's going to be all right.' To see him get up and go walk off was great. But that's just evidence of how physical this game was, right? And what's tough, we talk about guys like Brandon or Dink is those guys that are getting those third and fourth reps. Those are a lot of reps that they execute today that they didn't get in practice."
"They had to get the mental rep right and be able to execute the mental rep, and they did an outstanding job of that. Our coaches did a good job of coaching on the sideline to make them be able to have a performance like that. And every big run is going to involve somebody stranded a little bit harder for a big block."
"I saw a lot of those runs today where our wideouts go down the field battling first to get another block or a lineman was chasing the ball, and that was just a total positive."
"Dakorien has grown into a guy that really wants to be coached, and it's really fun and refreshing to go out there. He wants the pressure, he wants it on his back. I know he wishes to have that fumble back. I know he's going to be really critical himself, and I'm a I'm a challenge our coach of the week and coach that better, our ball security and what that looks like."
"But to see in big moments, that guy's straining really hard. When he practices the way he's capable of he can have really big games. Obviously had a big game today. Was certainly a difference maker for us. He was dynamic."
Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore makes a touchdown catch as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"And did a great job fielding the ball in the return game. I don't think people realize how hard that is. You got a lot of guys running down your face. He was able to change things for us in the return game and handle getting the ball obviously, in some tough moments and catching the ball."
"I thought the wideouts attacked the ball doing well today. And then again, I think when I turn on this film, I'll see those guys showing up in the run game with how they blocked and how they strained. I'm really proud of his growth. I know he only wants to get better, and I think there's a lot of guys in that category on our team."
"We kind of had a checklist on our mind of like, 'OK, is this available? Is this available? Is this available?' I think again, credit to Northwestern. You go out there, and you're like, 'I thought we were gonna have this. It's not really there. Cross it off, right?' I'm glad we had a long list of things that we felt like were available in this game."
"I think that just prepares you for a lot of moments, and you wonder when they're gonna get to show up. You don't want to just take a risk to take a risk. You don't just kick an onside kick because you think, 'Alright, maybe we get it, maybe we don't.'"
"I thought we did a good job of being able to take risks that were there and available, and then understand the consequences if it doesn't work. Like I said earlier this week, you don't always get to control outcomes, but you can help dictate the environment and influence outcomes."
"I think the fourth down there, down in the red area, is a great example of that. 'Hey, yeah, we could kick the field goal tied up right here, or we could punch this in and go up four,' and the guys did a great job in that moment."
Oregon running back Jordon Davison walks on crutches on the sideline as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"Yeah, leg injury. Don't know completely exactly where that's at yet. You know, he's a tough guy. I know that if he was able to get back out there, he would have been out there for us."
"So we'll continue to evaluate, and I'm sure I'll be able to give you guys an update. Probably not sooner, right? But when that Wednesday update comes up, I'll probably give you an update around there."
"I can't pretend to know everything about the situation. You have to operate with the information that you have. And again, we take all those matters real seriously. But I have to evaluate what we have. There was some changes in information that were there."
"They're not quitters. We've got winners in that locker room, and again, that's not always reflected in the scoreboard. That's not always reflected in reality. But you got guys. It's reflected in the way they practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday."
"It's reflected in us being really honest with each other and living in reality. We always felt like, 'Hey, if we have a little bit more time on that clock, we got an opportunity to keep finishing.' I just thought the energy on the sideline was outstanding today, even in moments when it didn't look the most positive. I thought our guys really handled that extremely well."
Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola warms up as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"He is a guy that feeds off of his confidence, right? I think the piece coming away from this is going to be like, 'Dylan, hey, remember what it felt like a week ago or two weeks ago?' He's going to be one of those guys that lives in reality as well."
"But he made some big-time throws today. Put balls in spots where our guys could get it and nobody else could. I thought he played really well with some of the moments, and still there's going to be some stuff for improvement. We put the ball in jeopardy early there in the game, with getting on the ground."
"We've got to have better ball security as a team that's continuing to show up for us. Obviously, it hurt us at one point today, but we were also able to get back on it. But there were some outstanding moments for him, and he is a guy that feeds off that confidence when he gets better and better. He continues to improve."
"It was one that we felt like coming to the game that might be there. Their boundary safety does a really good job fitting into the run game, and he was showing up in run after run where it's really a hat that you don't necessarily have accounted for in the run."
"So, we felt like if he's that aggressive to the run, that we can run something similar and create a play-action pass off of and replace in that zone. It was just a great read that we missed at times this year, where it's like, 'No, we're throwing for the shot, and if the shot's taken away, then we got an over coming back that's going to be open.'"
"I thought it was a great job. Those guys trusting each other, great protection up front to allow us to execute that play."
Oregon running back Brandon Smith, center, scores a touchdown as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"That's all you wanted to coach is a guy that not necessarily begging for their opportunity, but ready when their opportunity comes. I think Brandon's been that for us throughout this year. His role, he's grown with this team. He's obviously very capable."
"And I'm excited about what he was able. Yeah, I think certainly we've got a group that we feel confident rolling with. I think there's still some moments. We had a chance to almost hit the game away there at the end, and we didn't get the stops that we needed or get the yards that we needed there."
"Kind of, it became a situation where you're not completely backed up, but you can backed up because of where we played a couple of seasons plays. You got to evaluate what that looks like, but overall, I thought they did a good job."
"Yeah, I think certainly we've got a group that we feel confident rolling with. I think there's still some moments; we had a chance to almost put the game away there at the end, and we didn't get the stops that we needed or get the yards that we needed there."
"Kind of that, it became a situation where you're not completely backed up, but it became backed up because of the way we played a couple of those sequence plays. We've got to evaluate what that looked like, but overall, I thought they did a good job."
"There's a couple fourth downs in that game that I normally would have gone, and I'm not talking about like fourth-and-seven. I'm talking about like fourth-and-one where we've been aggressive in the past that we weren't."
"Again, we were playing not to lose and playing small ball, and that's not what we do. We let it hang, and that's what I heard our players saying on the sideline all day. We're not playing small ball. Let's go, right?"
Oct 31, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Northwestern Wildcats offensive coordinator Chip Kelly watches players before a game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"Great wrinkle by them. Hadn't seen that exactly. That has existed in its history, but if you could chase ghosts, for a long time of trying to find plays, and as you make up rules, there's certain coverages that you're saying, 'OK, we're going to carry right with the nickel position, or we're going to drop this pass."
"We have a coverage that's sound and would have been good against it.' The rules that we carried in's fault. That's one that we could have been more sound in and how we did it. But they have so much variety that they carry off of that formation, and again, that's one that they haven't necessarily lived in a bunch."
"So you don't get to spend a lot of time on it, and coaching defensive football, sometimes you're chasing ghosts. They found a great wrinkle. They showed us that formation in the first series, right? But didn't necessarily show us that play."
"They probably saw something that they liked and knew that they could take advantage of. We made a quick adjustment and knew that if they ran it again, we would have had it dialed up. But that's part of what makes Chip and those guys so good: they're able to find moments like that."
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day reacts during the NCAA football game against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 31, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"Yeah, certainly going to be a great challenge. Obviously, a great team. Coach Day does an unbelievable job. I think it goes back to all the things that we focused on this week. Let's also acknowledge that there were moments in that game where we could have not been successful in that game."
"So, we can't really focus on outcomes. Let's focus on things that can make us better. There's gonna be some moments that we can watch in this game and say, 'OK, we could have been even better than we were today."
"You don't get an opportunity to make mistakes like that against great teams like Ohio State. So we're gonna have to have our best. We're gonna enjoy this win here for 24 hours, right? Then when we hit the ground running tomorrow, as a staff, we'll be ready to go attack the next team."
"Well, they responded today? We'll see how they respond the next time."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oregon as Dan Lanning Delivers Dakorien Moore Injury Update After Win Over Northwestern .
