Oregon Faces Potential Shock as Star WRs Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. Hover on Sidelines for Crucial Week 12 Clash

Have you ever seen a juggernaut stumble just before the big showdown? That’s the question swirling around the 2025 Oregon Ducks as they head into Week 12 against Minnesota. After a gritty escape against Iowa, you’d think this team was bulletproof—but alas, fate loves a twist. Star freshman wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr., the first and second leaders in catches, are sidelined with injuries. Imagine Oregon’s offense trying to juggle without its top flamethrowers—can they still light up the scoreboard? With heavy hitters USC and Washington looming, this game isn’t just a pit stop; it’s a potential dealbreaker. Buckle up, because the Ducks’ resilience is about to get tested in ways nobody saw coming. LEARN MORE

The 2025 Oregon football team has been a juggernaut when compared to some of the expectations for the Ducks after some thought they would fall a bit after last season. The Oregon defense has been great, and the offense has had playmakers step up when needed as well. They are also coming off an escape with a win against Iowa. However, in the receiving corps, the Ducks might be missing a couple of key pieces against Minnesota in Week 12.

According to CBS Sports college football senior reporter Matt Zenitz, Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. are expected to miss Oregon’s Week 12 game against Minnesota due to injury. Moore is dealing with a knee injury, and Bryant is dealing with an ankle injury. It is a big blow for the Oregon offense, mainly because they are first and second on the Ducks in team catches.

Zenitz posted on X: “No. 8 Oregon is expected to be without star freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore (knee) and fellow starting receiver Gary Bryant Jr. (ankle) tonight against 6-3 Minnesota, sources tell @CBSSports. They rank first and second on Oregon in catches.”

The news is bad news for an Oregon offense that thrives on explosiveness. This is a crucial game for the Ducks to maintain consistency, as they have two big games against USC and Washington on the horizon over the next two weeks.

Before Oregon’s most recent game against Iowa, the Ducks had some surprise additions to the availability report, including wide receiver Dakorien Moore, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, offensive tackle Alex Harkey, and linebacker Devon Jackson. All four missed Oregon’s win over Iowa, and the Ducks also lost wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. after he suffered an injury in the first quarter against the Hawkeyes. Moore is expected to be back this season, but his injury still comes as a surprise.

The others seem likely to be available, or it will be a game-time decision. The fact that the game is coming on a short week does not help the Ducks.

The good news is that despite Minnesota having a 6-3 record, Oregon is a bad matchup, especially at home for the Golden Gophers.

The hope in this game would be that Oregon could grind out a win and get the extra rest before the home stretch of the USC and Washington games starts over their last two weeks.

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