In a game that was destined to be an upset, according to numerous experts, the No. 9 Oregon Ducks were missing some offensive stars: wide receiver Dakorien Moore, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and right tackle Alex Harkey.
As both the Ducks and the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes started off slowly on offense, those star targets were clearly missed by Oregon quarterback Dante Moore.
While the first quarter unfolded, the CBS sideline reporter Jenny Dell shared that Sadiq had "begged" head coach Dan Lanning to let him play in the game.
Sadiq even suited up in his uniform before the game, and while he didn't run routes with the other tight ends, Oregon fans were still hopeful that he could play. By the time the top-20 Big Ten matchup kicked off, Sadiq had officially been ruled as "out."
Oregon WR and TE room grows thinner
Moore and Sadiq weren't the only targets missing from the depth chart. Veteran wideout Evan Stewart was still sidelined from an injury he suffered during a practice session over the summer.
Oregon leading wide receiver Dakorien Moore is officially out for today's game. He's the only new addition to the OUT column today.
— Erik Skopil (@Erik_Skopil) November 8, 2025
Three starters are also listed as questionable: TE Kenyon Sadiq, LB Devon Jackson and OT Alex Harkey. pic.twitter.com/kM6md5F0fv
With more than seven minutes remaining in the first quarter, wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. went down with an unspecified injury and had to be helped off the field. The injury was apparently suffered on the Ducks' biggest offensive play of the first half at that point.
Bryan caught a 22-yard pass from Moore, but after he was brought down by Iowa defensive back Deshaun Lee, he was carried off the field by backup tight end Kade Caton.
As Oregon continued to march down the field, with a rapidly thinning receiving corps, the Ducks held onto a meager 2-0 lead after forcing a safety on Iowa's previous punt attempt.