Oregon is gearing up for the College Football Playoff Orange Bowl quarterfinals in a win-or-go-home scenario, but it seems like there’s not much pressure on the team. Ducks quarterback Dante Moore seemed rather confident, making a bold claim about their opponents, Texas Tech, framing Joey McGuire’s team’s vaunted defense as just another Tuesday grind.

“I’ve been doing this since I first got here.” Dante Moore asserted during a recent media scrum. “We have the best D-lineman in the country. We have the best rushers. We have the best linebackers.

“I feel like at practice every day, it’s the best look I’m going to get at practice when I have, you know, great rushers, that’s helping me do a lot of pocket movement. Linebackers that are giving me good disguise looks, a lot of pressure. I kind of feel like I’ve been doing it for a long time.”

His confidence is not based on the outcome of the last time the Ducks and Red Raiders met, which the former won 38-20 in 2023. To him, the Red Raiders’ defensive strength mirrors the intensity he already faces daily, a perspective that doubles as both preparation and quiet warning.

That said, Moore stopped short of outright dismissal. Joey McGuire’s Texas Tech defense has earned its reputation, particularly up front, where the Red Raiders spent the season harassing Big 12 quarterbacks and disrupting offensive game plans.

“Of course, Texas Tech has, you know, a great front seven,” Dante Moore added. “They’ve been working their tails off to make great plays. I’ve got to give them the credit. But at practice, I’ve been doing it for a while now. It’s going to feel pretty good that, you know, you practice how you play. This week, we’ve been pushing ourselves when it comes to O-line, when it comes to myself. But we’re ready, we’re excited, and it’s going to be a great team to play against.”

It’s always a positive sign when a player shows confidence ahead of a high-stakes game, but is Dante Moore’s confidence misplaced? Well, people have shared their predictions for the Oregon vs Texas game, and some seem to have sided with the latter.

ESPN sides with Joey McGuire’s Red Raiders

ESPN college football analyst Adam Rittenberg was spot on when he predicted the Playoff games. Just as he envisioned, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Miami Hurricanes, Ole Miss Rebels, and Oregon Ducks made it to the quarterfinals. A few days ago, Rittenberg shared his predictions for the Ducks vs. Tech game, which he claims would end in doom for Oregon. The Ducks may have been listed as the favorite to win, but the ESPN analyst predicts a win for Joey McGuire’s team.

“No two programs seem to get more flak for what they invest in their rosters than Oregon and Texas Tech,” Rittenberg wrote in an ESPN article. “But the Red Raiders and Ducks have earned their way to this stage and should deliver an incredible matchup in South Florida.

“Oregon has the quarterback edge with Dante Moore, who should have more wide receivers at his disposal as he faces a top-five defense in Texas Tech… Even though Oregon has CFP experience, Texas Tech should be able to ride Shiel Wood’s defense and just enough offense to get the W.”

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Well, we’ll get our answers for sure on New Year’s Day when the Red Raiders and Ducks go head-to-head. Dante Moore, who many believe has lived up to his No.1 QB status, and his quiet confidence could turn Tech’s defensive pride into Ducks’ fuel, but we can never be too sure.