The Oregon Ducks football team enters Week 11 with uncertainty surrounding one of its brightest young stars. True freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore, the team’s leading pass-catcher, may not suit up when the Ducks and Iowa Hawkeyes square off this Saturday afternoon in a key Big Ten football showdown at Kinnick Stadium. UPDATE: According to Matt Zenitz, Moore won't play on Saturday.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) sharing that the freshman phenom was injured during practice earlier in the week and that his availability for the road game remained up in the air.
“Sources: Oregon leading wide receiver Dakorien Moore was injured in practice this week and his availability at Iowa today is uncertain. Moore, a true freshman, leads the Ducks with 28 catches and 443 yards.”
Moore’s injury occurred during midweek drills, and while details remain limited, conflicting reports online have added confusion to the situation. One unverified post suggested a possible season-ending injury before being deleted, leaving fans and analysts waiting for official clarification from head coach Dan Lanning.
Under Big Ten football policy, official availability reports are released two hours before the 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff, meaning the Ducks’ final decision on Moore will likely be known around 1:30 p.m. ET.
If Moore cannot play, the Ducks will turn to veterans Gary Bryant Jr. and Malik Benson to lead the receiving corps, while tight end Kenyon Sadiq and running backs Jordan James and Noah Whittington could see expanded roles. Moore’s absence would test Oregon’s offensive depth against an Iowa defense ranked among the nation’s top 10 in scoring.
Oregon enters the contest at 7-1, ranked No. 9 in the first College Football Playoff rankings and No. 6 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. The CFP ranking is based on the committee's evaluation of the season’s performance, while the AP poll is determined by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Even with injuries at receiver, the Ducks’ balanced offense has remained one of the country’s most explosive.
Whether or not the former No. 1 wide receiver recruit in his class takes the field, Oregon’s trip to Iowa City will serve as a true measure of its toughness and focus in the chase for a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth.
