MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – No. 5 Oregon’s offense hoped to cut loose against No. 4 Texas Tech’s formidable defense during their College Football Playoff quarterfinal Thursday at the Orange Bowl. But the Ducks were also fully prepared to accept that the Red Raiders’ pass rush, ranked No. 3 nationally with 3.2 sacks per game, and their stout run defense could force adjustments.
That reality came early. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and his receivers proved efficient enough in the short passing game to generate the offense needed during a 23-0 victory at Hard Rock Stadium.
The redshirt sophomore completed 26 of 33 passes to 11 different receivers for 234 yards with one interception.
“Of course, everybody loves the deep throw,” Moore said. “Everybody likes the long runs. But like Coach (Dan) Lanning said, you’ve got to keep chipping away.”
Moore did not throw a touchdown pass for just the third game this season. The earlier instances came during rain-soaked games at home against Wisconsin and at Iowa, where the Ducks leaned heavily on their rushing attack. Thursday’s game, played under sunny Florida skies, seemed perfect for a more robust aerial display. However, the Ducks struggled to provide adequate pass protection, limiting opportunities for receivers to get open downfield.
Part of the challenge stemmed from Texas Tech’s defensive dominance on the ground, holding Oregon to just 64 yards rushing on 47 carries. This allowed the Red Raiders’ pass rushers to relentlessly pursue Moore. Texas Tech sacked Moore twice while applying frequent pressure throughout the game.
Despite the pressure, Moore remained crisp in the short passing game, keeping the chains moving, producing field goal attempts, winning the field position battle, and supporting Oregon’s defense, which dominated the Red Raiders.
Of Oregon’s 16 first downs, 11 came through the air, as Moore countered the pass rush with quick, accurate throws.
“Shout out to Texas Tech, they have a good front, but we just knew we had to get it quick and fast,” said Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson, who caught five passes for 51 yards. “Whatever we have to do to get it done, that’s just the way it had to be.”
Seven of Moore’s completions came on quick passes to four running backs for 51 yards. Dierre Hill Jr. caught three passes, while Jordon Davison and Jayden Limar had one reception each. Noah Whittington snagged two.
Limar’s 27-yard reception on a short flat route in the fourth quarter was the team’s longest of the game. On the play, Moore took a quick look upfield before dumping off to a wide-open Limar.
“That comes with having a good quarterback,” Whittington said. “Quick reads. See the defense. See the coverage. He knows where his answers are at.”
The quick passes kept Moore’s receivers active and kept Texas Tech’s secondary on its heels.
“And it helps out the O-line,” Davison added.
On the defensive side, Oregon applied similar pressure to Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton. The Ducks held the Red Raiders to 78 yards rushing on 30 carries and sacked Morton four times.
However, unlike Moore, Morton struggled to find rhythm. The fifth-year senior completed 18 of 32 passes for 137 yards with two interceptions.
Moore’s poise under pressure impressed his teammates.
“When you don’t have time, you’ve got to make those quick decisions,” Whittington said. “That’s a huge trait for a young quarterback.”
Whittington and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who caught four passes for 22 yards, praised Texas Tech’s defense, especially its pass rush led by linebacker David Bailey, whose 13.5 sacks ranked second nationally.
Moore’s ability not to hold onto the ball too long or force passes into coverage makes him special, Sadiq said.
“He’s not one-dimensional,” Sadiq explained. “He’s able to do so many things. Those little quick dinks and dunks are huge. It’s not easy when there’s pressure in your face almost every play.”
Looking ahead, Moore might have to replicate this type of performance in Oregon’s next game against No. 1 Indiana (14-0) in the semifinals on January 9 in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
The Hoosiers won 38-3 over No. 9 Alabama in their quarterfinal game at the Rose Bowl following Oregon’s victory. Notably, Oregon’s lone loss this season was a 30-20 home defeat to Indiana, a game in which the Hoosiers sacked Moore six times and limited the Ducks to just 13 points.
After Thursday’s game, Oregon coach Dan Lanning was uncertain of the next opponent but acknowledged there was room for improvement on offense.
“There’s some plays we were really efficient at today, and then there were some plays that weren’t,” Lanning said. “When you have a player like David Bailey, when you have players that you’re going to see in the College Football Playoff, you’ve got to have a plan for them. At times our plan was really good, and then there was sometimes that we could certainly improve that.”
https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2026/01/qb-dante-moore-quick-passing-attack-kept-ducks-sluggish-offense-moving-during-cfp-victory.html
