Following a dominant 34-14 victory over Northwestern, No. 34 Oregon is now 3-0 on the season, but head coach Dan Lanning isn’t taking the pressure off his team. After losing the fourth quarter 14-3, Lanning sees an opportunity to refocus his team, which will face two top-25 opponents over its next three games.
Lanning knows that if his team wants to reach its goals, it needs to be a complete football team that puts together full 60-minute efforts. Still, things are pretty good in Eugene right now with a 3-0 start, a plus-132 point differential, and nearly flawless play from sophomore quarterback Dante Moore.
What Are Dan Lanning’s Thoughts After 3-0 Start?
Given how dominant his team has been this season, it was logical to think he would step to the podium in a good mood, but that wasn’t the case. “I got a little sour taste in my mouth with the way we ended,” he said. “We gotta be able to win the fourth quarter. Ultimately, I saw some good plays and some stuff we can build on.”
Dan Lanning said he has a bit of a sour taste in his mouth with the way the Ducks played in the fourth
— Max Torres (@mtorressports) September 13, 2025
Despite the final score, the Wildcats won the fourth quarter; Oregon only outgained them 373-313 yards, was outpossessed, and had first downs only slightly in its favor, 21-15.
It’s been a great start to the season, but this team has championship aspirations. Taking its foot off the gas or not taking an opponent seriously enough are habits that can come back to bite when the stakes are highest.
On the positive side, Lanning loves what he’s seeing from his quarterback. When asked by FOX Sports reporter Jenny Taft about Dante Moore’s ceiling, he said: “It’s unbelievably high. We go with the quarterback, and we’ve got a really good one here.”
It’s Dante Moore’s Time in 2025
Dante Moore has been stellar to start his sophomore season after sitting behind Dillon Gabriel in 2024. He’s completing 77.3% of his passes, has a 6-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and owns a rating of 213.7.
After another solid performance in Week 3, Moore talked about how he got here. “I’m big on God’s timing. Especially in our generation, we want things now, and I feel like my being able to transfer and take a step back was kind of a blessing that I did that.”
“I’m big on God’s timing. Especially in our generation, we want things now – but I feel like me being able to take a step back, it was a blessing that I did that.”
More from Dante Moore on his patience behind Dillon Gabriel, and what it’s like to play for Dan Lanning. pic.twitter.com/vrPoZHUyfR
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 13, 2025
Given his performance so far, it’s difficult to argue with the path he took to get here. Moore also commented on the impact of learning from Gabriel last season. “The biggest thing I took away from him was preparation. The way he prepared Monday through Friday and on Saturday, how he just pushed and led the team.”
The season is still young, but Moore and the Ducks are off to a fantastic start. They get back to work next Saturday when they host in-state rival Oregon State.
