USC has handed down another punishment for Desman Stephens II after his hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, with the linebacker now set to miss Saturday’s game against Washington on top of the ejection he already received.
The play came in the second quarter at the Coliseum when Stephens lowered his shoulder into Moore as the quarterback was sliding to end a scramble. Officials tossed Stephens immediately for targeting, and medical personnel later carted Moore off the field. Moore was hospitalized, but a later update said the injury was a concussion with no additional damage, leaving open the possibility that he could return after Oregon’s bye week.
USC’s decision to sit Stephens against Washington arrived days after the hit drew even more attention because of what happened next. While Moore was still down, Stephens celebrated on the sideline and was seen high-fiving teammates, a moment that spread quickly online and intensified the backlash.
That reaction hit Stephens directly. Fans flooded his account with angry messages, and he eventually locked his Instagram profile to cut off the harassment.
The incident wasn’t the only ugly scene from Saturday’s game. A brawl also broke out in the Coliseum stands while the action unfolded on the field, the second fan altercation at USC’s home stadium in as many games.
Stephens, a junior out of Michigan, had started for USC throughout the 2025 season and had been known as a productive tackler before Saturday changed the conversation around him. The suspension now adds another consequence to a play that drew national criticism and overshadowed Oregon’s 41-27 win.
Moore’s recovery timeline points toward Oregon’s next game after the bye week, with an October 10 return against UCLA possible if he clears concussion protocol in time. Oregon backup Dylan Raiola, who entered and helped rally the Ducks to the win, credited the team’s response after Moore went down.
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