Dante Moore’s Heisman Trophy Odds Take Surprising Turn After Boise State Win

The Heisman Trophy race did not waste any time getting complicated. Week 1 produced dominant performances, unexpected contenders and a few results that already have the odds looking much different than they did entering the season.

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah emerged as the early Heisman favorite after a standout performance against Stanford, jumping from +1,150 before the season to +550 per DraftKings. Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney made the most dramatic jump of the weekend, moving from +4,000 to +1,250 after setting a school record with 234 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Dante Moore Oregon Ducks Heisman Trophy 2026 college football Week 1 quarterback odds national championship Big Ten — Sep 4, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah (10) warms up prior to a game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, not every player saw his odds improve, even though they might have had strong performances of their own and led their teams to victory.

One of those names who saw their odds drop despite a solid performance and a Week 1 victory was Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore. Moore threw for a career-high 378 yards in Oregon's season opener, with multiple highlight-reel catches, but his Heisman Trophy odds still managed to drop.

How the Heisman Odds Changed After Week 1

Here is how some of the top Heisman contenders' odds changed following Week 1, according to DraftKings.

Darian Mensah, QB, Miami: +1,150 → +550
Arch Manning, QB, Texas: +750 → +950
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State: +1,400 → +1,000
CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame: +700 → +1,100
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami: +4,000 → +1,250
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss: +1,300 → +1,300
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon: +1,100 → +1,300
Jayden Maiava, QB, USC: +2,200 → +1,750
Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State: +1,200 → +1,400
Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana: +1,500 → +1,900

Dante Moore’s Heisman Odds Drop Despite Career Day

Moore delivered one of the best statistical performances of his career on Saturday. The Heisman hopeful quarterback completed 28 of 37 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

The Ducks entered their Week 1 matchup with Boise State as 24.5-point favorites. However, the game was a lot more competitive than many anticipated. Boise State dictated the entire first half, even carrying a 17-14 lead into halftime against the No. 2 team in the nation.

The Ducks ended up making the necessary adjustments to secure the victory, but the Broncos still put themselves in position to pull off what would have undoubtedly been the biggest upset of the Dan Lanning era.

The potential of an upset of that magnitude on the line put even more pressure on Moore to command the Oregon offense and find a way to win. Even with the added pressure, Moore found a way to have success and made some difficult passes in tough situations.

To add to the pressuring circumstances, Boise State's pass rush was relentless. Although the Broncos recorded just one sack on the day, they consistently provided pressure and made Moore work around the pocket throughout the afternoon.

That pressure did not stop Moore from making some of his best throws of the game. Down 17-7 after an Evan Stewart muffed punt gave Boise State momentum, Oregon needed an answer before halftime. Moore led a 43-second hurry-up drill, capping it by a clutch pass to tight end Jamari Johnson for a 27-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 17-14 right before the break.

Then, with the score tied at 27-27 in the fourth quarter, Moore hit Dakorien Moore, who then hit a stop-and-go move to shed two Bronco tacklers and took it the distance for the 62-yard score.

Moore also put Oregon ahead 24-17 in the third quarter by stepping up into a collapsing pocket and zipping an eight-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Jeremiah McClellan.

McClellan was Moore's favorite deep target all afternoon. McClellan finished with six catches for 150 yards and a score.

Dante Moore Embraces Adversity Against Boise State

The Broncos were in reach of pulling off a historic upset, which put pressure on Moore to command his offense and deal with some adversity.

But Moore is no stranger to adversity. After the game, Moore revealed that he actually sees an advantage in having to play Boise State competitively despite the outside conversation about how that game shouldn't have been close.

"I think adversity is the best thing in life that a human can have because it just shows you what you can do in that situation. Either you're going to fight through it or you're just going to fall down," Moore said after the game.

In spite of a slow start, penalties that accounted for 90 yards and other miscues, Oregon found a way to win, and that is more valuable in the long run than a blowout.

The Heisman Trophy race will continue to change throughout the season, and Moore's slight drop in odds doesn't necessarily reflect a worse Heisman case. If anything, his performance against Boise State showed that he can produce when Oregon needs him most.

The Ducks will need more of that from their quarterback as the season progresses, especially once Big Ten play arrives.

Game 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.

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