Oregon Ducks Fans Will Love What Dante Moore Said Before Indiana Game

EUGENE – The week 7 GameDay clash between the No. 3 Oregon Ducks and the No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers is set to showcase top quarterback talents in Dante Moore and Fernando Mendoza. The matchup could have an influence on both the Heisman Trophy race and NFL Draft projections.

Ahead of the game, Moore gave his thoughts on the quarterback matchup and how he’s handled the national attention he’s received this season.

Moore's comments are grounded and very thoughtful - something Oregon fans will love to hear.

What Moore Said

dante moore oregon ducks quarterback indiana hoosiers big ten college football transfer portal nil recruiting autzen stadium — Aug 30, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) talks to the media after a game against the Montana State Bobcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Attention He’s Receiving This Season:

“Ever since seventh grade, when I got my first offers from that day on, it’s kind of been things, media, people talking about me, and it's been, it's true blessings. Because everything my life was never just given to me I'd work for. And I just know, with my hard work and dedication to the game of football, that things will come and fall in your hands,” Moore said.

“So overall, these are all blessings - are great things as a kid you dream of. But overall, I think Jabbar Muhammad said it best. Team success, that's when player success comes with it. Like overall, 1-0 every week is our mindset of the team,” he continued.

“And without the receivers, without the o-linemen not giving up any sacks, I mean, without the people around me, I would never have what I have now. So overall, for life, none of these things are coming, are just stuff I'm doing myself. It’s a team thing, but it's just blessings.”

His Appreciation For The Opportunity To Play On The National Stage:

“It was kind of funny. After the Penn State game when I was so emotional, everybody's like, man, this guy's acting like they just won a national championship. And it's like, overall, it's just people don't understand how much prep and work was put into that week. I mean, if I told my younger self you’re about the play in front of 112,000 in a White Out top-five hardest atmospheres, and, you know, in the world play in. I mean, and we win in double overtime,” Moore said.

“Like it's just a crazy situation. But overall, I mean, it's so much work that gets put in, this past year, just learning from Dillon (Gabriel), like me, just making the great decision, just to learn and sit back a year. It's just so much tension was built up,” Moore continued.

“And like when I took the field against Penn State, and I looked at Poncho (Iapani Laloulu) in his eyes, like he looked at me, and it's like, I have confidence in the team. Even my teammates, they have confidence in me,” Moore said.

“So, I just feel like just playing in these big stages and big environments. You know, this week's College GameDay. These are just things that we just worked hard for. So overall, I get really emotional. I get, you know, real, particularly for myself, about things, just because I work so damn hard for it.”

Approaching The Quarterback Matchup:

“Quarterbacks, we all respect each other for like, I always get give credit when credit’s due, and he's been balling out this year for sure, even when he was at Cal like, I played against him in my freshman year at UCLA. I mean, just seeing him the way he just makes throws across the field,” Moore said.

“As a quarterback, you know, love to see throws get made. And he's a real competitor. You know, he does a great job leading his offense, but it's gonna be a great battle. And pretty sure, at the end of the game, we're gonna talk to each other and make sure that every day we’re getting better.”

What The Penn State Win Taught Him About The Team:

“We're built for big moments. That's kind of the biggest thing I got from it. And also, coach (Dan) Lanning this week is kind of speaking about Secretariat, like a horse that was known for back in the day, winning many races. Like horses, they keep their blinders on, keeping tunnel vision, focused, within their lane, within themselves. I feel like this team does a great job not listening to the outside noise,” he said.

“Like, every day we run our own race, we don't listen to the hype, we don't listen to other things. We kind of just keep our, you know, our head focused on straight. So, like, overall, we’re a young team and people think, when we're young, that this outside noise is going to, you know, grab our attention, but every day we just come to work.”

If He Watched Dillon Gabriel’s First NFL Start:

“Last Monday before the game, building up into the game, I texted him, we talked about it, understanding that this is time to shine. But when I woke up on Sunday, the game was kind of already over, because I didn't know it was so early here, but when I woke up, I watched the highlights,” Moore said.

“He did a great job. He competed. It was his time to shine in London, and it was his time to shine, and he did what he always has to do. He’s a baller.”

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His Bye Week:

“This bye week was important for us, because, you know, lot of tough games we played, and feel like, the biggest thing was just recovering, getting our bodies right. It was also a great week mentally, just to talk to our coaches, talk to coach Lanning about things you need to work on, and, you know, from the past weeks and improvement plans as a unit, and also as a personnel thing,” Moore said.

“But overall, it's a, you know, it's a great week just to get our minds back, right, you know, get our body feeling ready, ready to get going for this week. So, it was important for sure.”

If The Team’s Confidence Has Grown:

“I feel like it's the usual. I mean, every day. I mean, coach Lanning puts us in game on the line situations, overtime. You know, move the field periods. Like, just, he puts us in tough situations to where, Monday through Friday. That's where, when we’re running the football game, man, like, practice is hard,” Moore said.

“Everybody knows about bloody Tuesdays. My bracket is the situation that builds you for a Saturday environment. So, like, overall, I mean, Penn State did build us a lot of confidence, making sure, you know, we play on the road in tough environments. But like, coach Lanning does a great job just prepping us. And that's where our confidence comes from.”

Going From A Hostile Crowd To A Home Crowd:

“Everybody loves as an offensive player when you play at home because the fans are on your side, and it's not much rowdy noise. But I mean, when you have this time, when you're playing on the road, and you have, you know, the boom boxes that's in the huddle and the o-linemen can hardly hear me when I'm screaming to the top of my voice,” Moore said.

“Like those situations, of course, things that you know you practice, and you do a silent count of center and quarterback exchange in like we did at Penn State. It's a lot that comes with it, but playing here at home, playing in Autzen, especially, gets really loud here as well, but we're on offense here. I feel like everybody loves when the fans are quiet for you.”

Key To Success Against Indiana:

“Indiana is a great team. Like, the best thing for us is protecting the football, making sure that when it's third down, we convert. We got to make sure that we're just playing our level football, playing to our standard understanding that this team, you know, is 5-0 for a reason, it's gonna be a great atmosphere. But overall, like, you know, the way we're prepping right now, feeling pretty good.”

Indiana’s Defense:

“Indiana, they’re 5-0 for a reason. They're a great team. They have a great head coach, great players. It’s another great week, just to go play another opponent, like overall, they have a great scheme. They have, you know, great players on the defensive side of the ball, offense is great. Like, overall, it's gonna be a great week. You know, it's gonna be a great competitive match. But it says another great team and we’re ready to get going.”

What He Learned From The Chaotic Jacksonville Jaguars’ NFL Win:

“That was crazy. When things like that happen, you just got to pray and make sure you get the job done, and he got the job done. So overall, it was a great game. Just the way to go out like that is insane. But it wad two great quarterbacks playing at each other, and as a person, I love watching football. That was a chaotic game for sure.”