Dante Moore had the worst start imaginable Friday to kick off the Peach Bowl against Indiana.
The Oregon quarterback threw an interception on his very first pass of the College Football Playoff semifinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. Moore got picked off by star cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, who ran it all the way back for a touchdown.
INDIANA PICK-SIX ON DANTE MOORE ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/BGR1OeahyH
— ESPN (@espn) January 10, 2026
The pick-six was the first one allowed by Moore all season. Here’s another angle of the loud play that kicked off the Oregon-Indiana clash.
The pick-six that Dante Moore threw to start tonight's CFP semifinal was his first pick-six of the season 😳 pic.twitter.com/oLUGvGQfbB
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 10, 2026
It didn’t take long for Moore to shake off the poor play. He led Oregon to a 14-play, 75-yard drive for a touchdown on the Ducks’ next possession.
WHAT A BALL FROM DANTE MOORE
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 10, 2026
WHAT AN ANSWER FROM THE OREGON DUCKS#PMSCFP pic.twitter.com/Sl7GYkYeyX
Moore and his Indiana counterpart, Fernando Mendoza, entered Friday’s matchup as the projected top-two picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. The pressure to perform may have gotten to Moore early, but he was able to shed those nerves real quick.
