Dante Moore comes of age with The Throw and The Drive

Down 16-15 in driving rain with 29 seconds left, his four-best receivers out of the game and his starting right tackle on the bench with a sprained ankle, Dante Moore threaded a pass to Malik Benson for 24 yards to move the Ducks into field goal range.

The Throw (it has a capital-letters title now as part of an instant classic) was one of the most laser-accurate pressure passes Duck fans will ever see. Moore zips the ball just past the defender's left elbow to the numeral four on Benson's chest, down the right sideline through the driving rain.

It's a moment of poise, faith, courage and artistry that marks a turning point in a young quarterback's career. With the season on the line Moore drove the Ducks 54 yards in 10 plays to win the game, completing 5-6 passes for 51 yards on the drive.

On the one pass he missed, a throw to the end zone with 10 seconds to play to Benson, his receiver was held, no call, but that just proved to be a footnote to a day of bad officiating.

“Dante was lights-out in that drive," Dan Lanning said. "It reminds me of what we do in practice. We put our guys in a lot of scenarios like that. I don’t ever give them 1:51, I don’t ever give them that much time in practice to go execute that same situation."

During the week on his podcast "The Todd McShay Show" veteran draft analyst and former ESPN writer Todd McShay said Moore will be back next year.

"There's one scout I just talked to, book it, he's gonna be back at Oregon next year," McShay said. "The resources, the parents, the agent, the coaches are all in lock-step on this thing. Dante Moore is going to be an Oregon Duck next year, and he's going to be paid handsomely to be that. But he will be back."

A game like this one is pivotal in a quarterback's development. Leading a drive like that, winning a game with a throw like that, just adds to the calm and assurance he's already shown in pivotal moments. It sharpens his processing and understanding of football. He was ready.

After the game, Moore shared the credit. "During that two-minute drill we were just dialed in. Everybody had eye contact with me, making sure we were on the same page," he said.

"Iowa did a great job of disguising looks and things like that, but we did a great job and capitalized off of it. On that pass to Malik to the field, I mean when his number is called, he's always making a play. I'm glad I have him as a teammate."

This Oregon team is young and has some flaws, but they are remarkably resilient and they hang together. If Moore returns for another season after the experience and confidence he's gained, they'll be among the favorites for a national title in 2026.

The execution on the final drive was a testament to their unity and grit.