Oregon star WR Dakorien Moore injured in practice, will miss Week 11 Big Ten showdown vs. Iowa

Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore will miss his team's Week 11 game against No. 20 Iowa (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ Premium) after he suffered an injury during practice this week, sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. Moore, a true freshman, leads the Ducks with 443 yards receiving on 28 catches with three touchdowns. The injury is not expected to be season-ending. 

It didn't take long for Moore, who signed with Oregon in 2025 as the nation's top-ranked wide receiver prospect, to emerge as one of quarterback Dante Moore's top targets. Moore had 69 yards and a touchdown on just two catches in Oregon's Week 2 win against Oklahoma State, which marked his debut against Power Four competition. He's dipped below 40 yards receiving just once in seven games since and his 15.8 yards per catch ranks sixth in the Big Ten among receivers with at least 20 receptions on the season and first among the conference's true freshmen. 

Moore, a product of Duncanville, Texas, initially chose the Ducks over offers from almost every major program in the nation, including the in-state powerhouse Texas Longhorns. He filled an immediate need for Oregon, which lost three of its top four receiving targets from the 2024 season.

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To compound matters, Evan Stewart, Oregon's top returning wide receiver, suffered a preseason knee injury that has sidelined him for the entirety of the 2025 campaign thus far. There is a chance that he returns late in the year. 

If Moore is unable to go, Oregon will have to lean more on Gary Bryant Jr., Malik Benson and Jeremiah McClellan, who each have at least 200 yards receiving this season. McClellan, a redshirt freshman and former top-100 prospect in the 2024 class, could start alongside Benson at one of Oregon's outside receiver spots. 

Moore's injury also opens the door for a veteran like Kyler Kasper, a 6-foot-6 junior that has just two receptions in 2025, to step into a bigger role on the road in Iowa City. 

A lot on the line for Oregon vs. Iowa

The timing of Moore's injury certainly isn't ideal for Oregon as it's staring down its toughest stretch of the season. Saturday's road trip to Iowa will be the Ducks' most difficult road environment since a win over then-No. 3 Penn State back on Sept. 27. Beginning with Iowa, Oregon has to face three teams ranked in the top 25 in its last four games as matchups with No. 19 USC and No. 23 Washington wait. 

The Hawkeyes debuted at No. 20 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, which means that the selection committee views them as a legitimate contender. It could be a nice résumé piece for Oregon if it escapes with a win. 

A loss would not tank Oregon's playoff hopes, but it would effectively prevent the Ducks from making a return to the Big Ten Championship Game. Currently, they're one of four Big Ten teams -- including Iowa -- with just one loss in conference play. Everyone is chasing No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana, who remain unblemished. 

It's already going to be hard to close the gap with the Buckeyes and the Hoosiers. Two losses would make it virtually impossible.