When Oregon was taking the field for their Friday night Big Ten showdown against Minnesota, Will Stein gave a challenge to Dante Moore.
"Dante, you got me?" Stein whispered into the headset. Loud and clear, you got me 5?"
"I wanna see your best fundamental game tonight. That's what I want to see. Your best fundamental technique game."
Stein certainly got it. Moore set an Oregon record with 27-30 passing for 306 yards and two touchdowns, the highest single game passing percentage in school history.
Danielson offers high praise
It was so impressive that Gary Danielson, 20 seasons behind the mike as an analyst for CBS, compared Moore to the all-time great of his era in the NFL.
Danielson said, speaking of the redshirt sophomore from the Motor City, "He's so cool. He's so relaxed."
"He kind of reminds me of that Joe Montana, other-side-of-the-pillow cool. That's how he plays in these games."
Moore ranks fourth in the FBS in passer rating after 10 games, completing 72.8 percent of his throws for 2,190 yards and 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions. His adversary this weekend, Jayden Maiava of the Trojans has thrown for 2,868, with three fewer touchdowns and one more interception.
Comparisons are inevitable in a Top 25 matchup with heavy playoff implications, but another edge Moore has is that USC hasn't performed as well on the road. They lost a close one at Illinois back in September, 34-32, slipped by Nebraska after Dylan Raiola got hurt, got handled by Notre Dame in South Bend, 34-24.
The Trojans haven't won at Autzen Stadium since 2011. Lincoln Riley is 19-17 against the Top 25. In three years as SC head coach the former OU quarterback and coach has had one Top 25 finish, back in 2022 when quarterback Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy.