Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore’s On-Field Gesture After Beating Iowa Speaks Volumes

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore led the Ducks to a gritty 18-16 comeback win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in a rainy Big Ten conference showdown. After the victory, Moore made an on-field gesture with one of his teammates that speaks volumes about his leadership.

Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore Iowa hawkeyes ducks big ten playoff heisman classy pray teammate leader dan lanning injury | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore led the Ducks to a gritty 18–16 comeback win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in a rainy Big Ten showdown that tested the team’s resilience. Moore delivered when it mattered most, showing poise in the pocket and command on the final drive of the game to set up the go-ahead field goal with three seconds left.

Moore continues to find ways to deliver despite Oregon’s thin depth at the skill positions. The Ducks lost top returning receiver Evan Stewart before the season even began, then entered the Iowa game without receiver Dakorien Moore and tight end Kenyon Sadiq - Moore's top-two targets. To make matters worse, receiver Gary Bryant Jr. went down with injury in the first quarter of the game, further depleting the offense.

Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore Iowa hawkeyes ducks big ten playoff heisman classy pray teammate leader dan lanning injury | Oregon Ducks on SI Jake Bunn

The Ducks leaned hard into their rushing attack with 261 rushing yards... the most given up by Iowa since 2022. Moore led the way with a game-high 49-yard run, while also completing 13 of 21 passes for 211 yards.

But it was what happened after the game that truly captured his character.

Dante Moore’s On-Field Gesture After Beating Iowa Speaks Volumes

For Oregon, it was another statement win on the road that extended the nation’s longest active road winning streak to 11 games. For Moore, it was a moment that showed how his leadership doesn't end when the game is over.

As cameras wrapped up his postgame interview on the sideline, Moore walked back onto the field to find center Iapani Laloulu taking a quiet moment to pray and reflect together amid the celebration. It was a small, genuine gesture that underscored the kind of leader Moore is: humble and centered on the team more than the spotlight.

“You see he’s praying right there. We’re big into faith and big into Christian life.” ✝️

Really nice moment at the end of the Oregon-Iowa game. Ducks QB Dante Moore joins his OL Iapani Laloulu on the field to pray.

Way to bear witness. pic.twitter.com/eFbnj8eVHS

— Zach Henry (@zhenryaz) November 9, 2025

After the game, Moore discussed the the victory.

"As a quarterback, a win is a win, and as a team, a win is a win. So it doesn't matter if I threw for 500 yards or zero yards, it's just whatever we've got to do to get it done," Moore said. "Playing on the road in a hostile environment is of course tough, especially when it's you vs. the fans, but overall we're going to get back home safely, Sunday is our recovery day, and Minnesota is next week. So we better make sure we go 1-0 next week."

And funny enough, two seasons ago Moore played against now-Oregon kicker Atticus Sappington when Moore was quarterback at UCLA and Sappington was kicker at Oregon State.

"Yeah every time I think of all these kicks that Atticus has made, I think of my freshmen year at UCLA when we played at Oregon State. I was like 'who is this kicker? He's making all these field goals, like 18 points in one game, I'm like they have a good guy or whatever'. I'm glad he's my teammate, especially during those moments," Moore continued.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore warms up as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Moore's History Of Classy Moves

Moore's leadership has been consistent all season.

After beating Northwestern 34-14, Moore showed why he is quickly becoming a fan favorite by staying on Martin Field late to sign some gear for two young fans, who were overwhelmed with excitement. His leadership reaches beyond the field, making sure the Ducks culture is welcoming and full of humility.

Core memory for these kids 🥹

These young fans couldn’t believe Dante Moore stuck around to sign their Oregon gear 💛💚 pic.twitter.com/sf4hgxpD9Q

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 13, 2025

Back in April, Oregon coach Dan Lanning sat down with Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus and discussed Moore's personality. Moore transferred to Oregon in December of 2023 from UCLA and impressed Lanning with his patience in learning behind Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

“Dante has all the ability in the world, has the arm talent,” Lanning told Amaranthus. “I’ve been really pleased with his intelligence to get us checked into a positive play."

"He's calm, collected. He plays with a swagger out there, which I think you want to have in a quarterback. He's done a really, really good job of that… He has a mentality right now about how he wants to go attack things,” Lanning continued.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore speaks with reporters during Oregon football’s Media Day on July 28, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The former 5-star Dante Moore was one of the top quarterbacks in the recruiting class of 2023. As a true freshman with the UCLA Bruins, he played nine games and finished with 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. 

In nine games as Oregon’s starting quarterback, Moore has completed 158-of-224 passes (70.54 percent) for 1,884 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Next up, Oregon hosts the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Kickoff is at 6p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 14 and the TV broadcast is Fox.