Oregon head coach Dan Lanning knew exactly what to say after his team's 30-24 double overtime win over No. 3 Penn State. The Ducks silenced a record White Out crowd of 111,015 fans at Beaver Stadium in one of the season's biggest upsets.
“We just talked all week about getting a cut. It's death by a thousand cuts. Every cut matters, every cut matters, and eventually hit the jugular. That was it right there. Unbelievable. Our quarterback is an absolute all star, our team. Special, special,” Lanning said in his post-game interview.
That “death by a thousand cuts” line tells the whole story of Saturday night. Oregon didn't need to blow Penn State away with big plays. Instead, they chipped away at the Nittany Lions' defense, wearing them down possession after possession until they finally broke through.
How did Dante Moore perform against Penn State?
Quarterback Dante Moore did exactly that, going 29 of 39 for 248 yards and three touchdowns without turning the ball over once. Moore picked apart Penn State's defense with short passes and smart decisions, never forcing throws into coverage.
The UCLA transfer has been outstanding all season in his first year as Oregon's starter. Saturday night against Penn State's tough defense was his toughest matchup of the season, and Moore delivered when it mattered most in double overtime.
Oregon is now 5-0 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten play, with an offense that puts up 588.5 yards per game to lead the conference and rank seventh nationally. Instead of looking for explosive plays, they methodically move the chains drive after drive.
Lanning's “thousand cuts” thinking is what makes this Oregon team different. Instead of going for big plays, they take what the defense gives them and wear opponents down. Oregon fans see how this approach lets the Ducks adapt to any situation.
This Penn State win changes everything for Oregon's season. Road wins against top-three teams don't come around often, and this one puts Oregon right where they want to be heading into the heart of Big Ten play.
