STATE COLLEGE, PA – Quarterback Dante Moore and the Oregon Ducks showcased their resilience and talent, silencing a raucous Penn State “whiteout” crowd with a thrilling 30-24 double-overtime victory Saturday night in Happy Valley. The Ducks, led by Moore and head coach Dan Lanning, proved they can overcome any challenge, regardless of the environment.
Moore emphasized the importance of focusing on the game, despite the overwhelming atmosphere with over 111,000 screaming Penn State fans.
“I didn’t have the chance to talk to [Denver Broncos quarterback] Bo [Nix],” Moore said. “You know he has a lot on his plate, of course, being in the NFL. And that was something I was, you know, wanting to do. But overall, I kind of just talked to Coach [Dan] Lanning more than anything. Coach Lanning has been in national championship environments, playing on the road in huge environments in the SEC. And he always told me that there can be 200,000 fans, but they don’t, you know, they can’t make a block, they can’t make a catch, they can’t make a play. So it’s really just 11-on-11 football at the end of the day.“
Moore also acknowledged the physical strength and mental resilience of his team, even in light of several significant errors made during the second half. Nevertheless, they imposed their determination against a challenging adversary in the Penn State defense.
“I always give credit to the team. This team is very physical. You know, the environment was loud. You know it’s Penn State’s whiteout game. It’s what it’s known for. But overall, you know it was a great game. And I feel like from right now, as a team, we’re going to hope, you know, safe travels back home, and get ready for this bye week. Make sure we take care of our bodies.“
The young quarterback acknowledged the unique challenges of playing in such a high-stakes environment, with the game being a measuring stick for not Oregon but Penn State as well. “It’s a lot of things that come into a big game and playing on the road, a six-hour flight, playing in a whiteout game. It’s things that you pray, and you know dream about as a kid. And I know playing in this environment, there are a lot of young guys on this team. Of course, everybody thinks about the Ohio State of that game last year when it was at. But I mean playing in this environment, man, as a whole team, we kind of just knew that we’re going to be on the road and there’s not going to be many fans for us.“
Securing crucial conversions was key to Oregon’s success, especially in that hostile environment.
“Coming out with the win and making sure that we got a big-time conversion was huge for us.”
With the win, Oregon extends its impressive record to 12-0 in regular-season Big Ten games. The Ducks will savor this hard-fought victory during their upcoming bye week before returning to Autzen Stadium to host the Indiana Hoosiers on October 11.
