2026 Heisman Odds: Arch Manning Favored, Dante Moore Sixth After Deciding to Return

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore made a major decision on Wednesday, as he announced that he's returning to school for the 2026 season instead of entering the 2026 NFL Draft.

That has caused a shakeup in the odds for the Heisman Trophy next season, as Moore is one of the leading contenders after he put together a strong 2025 season led the Ducks to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has decided to return to school for the 2026 season, he told ESPN @SportsCenter, forgoing a chance to be a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He’ll project near the top of a loaded quarterback class for 2027. pic.twitter.com/9OqDt15t96
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 14, 2026

Moore is currently in a tie for sixth in the odds at +1300, but University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning (+750) is the favorite. Manning was also the favorite entering the 2025 season, but he got off to a slow start for the Longhorns than ended up tanking his Heisman case.

Manning did improve in a big way as the season went on, and it seems like oddsmakers are expecting that to continue in the 2026 season.

2025 Heisman finalist Julian Sayin (+1100) is third in the odds with his teammates Jeremiah Smith, while CJ Carr (+800) is second in the odds. This is an interesting group, and the Heisman picture will likely become more solidified once more players have made their decision in the transfer portal.

For example, new LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has skyrockted to +1300 (tied with Moore) after he joined Lane Kiffin's squad.

As for Moore, he'll look to build on a strong 2025 season and hopefully find himself as a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Moore likely passed up a chance to be a top-five pick in this year's draft, but he doesn't have a ton of collegiate starts under his belt. There's a chance that he believes more time at the college level will help better prepare him for the pros.

In the 2025 season, Moore completed 71.8 percent of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 picks in 15 games. He'll look to lead the Ducks back to the College Football Playoff in his second season as the team's starting quarterback.

Here's a look at the opening odds for the Heisman in the 2026 college football season.

2026 Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Arch Manning: +750
CJ Carr: +800
Jeremiah Smith: +1100
Julian Sayin: +1100
Josh Hoover: +1100
Gunner Stockton: +1300
Sam Leavitt: +1300
Dante Moore: +1300
Jayden Maiava: +1700
Marcel Reed: +1700
Brendan Sorsby: +2200
LaNorris Sellers: +2500
Malachi Toney: +2500
Bryce Underwood: +3000
Byrum Brown: +3500
Demond Williams Jr.: +3500
Devon Dampier: +4000

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Create a new FanDuel Sportsbook account, and you can get $300 in bonus bets if you win your first $5 wager. Download the FanDuel app and deposit a minimum of $5 to claim your FanDuel promo code offer today.