Dante Moore Quietly Moves Into Elite Tier With Latest Performance

Oregon Ducks signal-caller eyes encore against No. 12 USC after four-touchdown performance.

Sept. 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore celebrates with teammates after the Ducks 84-0 win over Portland State at Autzen Stadium. | Darby Winter

No. 20 Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore needed just one half of football against Portland State to land among the top signal-callers in the nation.

Moore tossed for 280 yards and four touchdowns on 19-of-23 passing in the first two quarters of Oregon’s 84-0 win over the Vikings to earn a spot among PFF’s top-graded Power Four quarterbacks for Week 3.

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field after beating the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ducks coach Dan Lanning replaced Moore at halftime with backup quarterback Dylan Raiola.

His 89.3 PFF grade earned Moore a spot among the country’s most notable Week 3 performers, including Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and familiar foe Drew Mestemaker of Oklahoma State (2-1).

Dante Moore Cracks PFF’s Top 10

Moore’s 89.3 grade landed him at No. 10 on PFF’s top performers, joining Iowa quarterback Hank Brown as the only two Big Ten quarterbacks to make the list.

Brown earned a 91.0 grade and a No. 6 slot after going a perfect 12-of-12 passing for 153 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Hawkeyes (3-0) rolled to a 55-0 win over Northern Iowa (1-2).

Highest Graded Quarterbacks from Week 3🎯 pic.twitter.com/CRoIn8i422

— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 21, 2026

PFF, however, selected Moore as the quarterback for its Big Ten Team of the Week.

Enter the PFF grading system.

PFF grades individual performances beyond basic metrics such as touchdowns and passing yards. The system evaluates every player on every play, assigning a grade on a scale of 0-to-100, while separating factors for quarterbacks such as yards after catch.

How the Top-3 Fared

So how did Moore stack up against the weekend’s best?

Sep 19, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. speaks to the media after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers at Bank of America Stadium. Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. did it through the air and on the ground to earn PFF’s national Quarterback of the Week honors.

Hawkins posted a 26.3 percent big-time throw rate with an average depth of target of 14.3 yards, to go along with 123 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns as the Mountaineers (3-0) outlasted No. 25 Virginia (2-1, 1-0 ACC) 38-27 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton followed a similar style at No. 2 on the PFF list, combining 147 passing yards and a touchdown while rushing for 97 yards. The Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 SEC) rolled Arkansas (1-2, 0-1 SEC) 45-17 on the road.

Moore and the Ducks are familiar with Drew Mestemaker’s game. Two weeks after torching Oregon for 317 passing yards, two touchdowns, 109 rushing yards and a score, the Oklahoma State signal-caller finds himself at No. 3 for Week 3.

Sep 12, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Drew Mestemaker looks to pass as Oregon Ducks linebacker Devon Jackson defends at Boone Pickens Stadium. William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That’s due to his 324-yard, five-touchdown afternoon as the Cowboys trounced Murray State 59-0.

There is no blueprint for landing in the top 10. Quarterbacks get there through excellent air games or a combination of passing and rushing.

Moore reached No. 10 in just one half of football. 

The Repeat Visitors

Making PFF’s individual weekly list is an honor, but ranking on its season leaderboard requires longevity.

Only four quarterbacks appear on both lists after Week 3.

Hawkins (94.1 Week 3, 93.5 season) and Stockton (93.5 Week 3, 92.8 season) sit at No. 1 and 3, respectively, on the season chart.

Sept. 12, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr celebrates 52-0 win over Rice at Notre Dame Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr registers at No. 4 on the year with a 92.8 grade, followed by Utah quarterback Devon Dampier at No. 10 and a 90.2 grade.

Moore ranks No. 70 in the nation with a 78.7 overall PFF grade, despite throwing for nine touchdowns and zero interceptions so far. His 89.3 grade against Portland State, however, reflects his potential.

But with the Big Ten gauntlet opening this weekend for the Ducks, is the 93-to-94 graded level shared by the country’s best obtainable for the Oregon quarterback?

Dante Moore vs. the No. 12 USC Trojans

Moore’s next chance to ascend the PFF season leaderboard happens Saturday in Los Angeles against No. 12 USC (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten).

The Trojans yield 203.8 passing yards per game, with opponents completing 59.4 percent of their passes. Moore, conversely, has completed 68.5 percent of his attempts with a 10.1 touchdown percentage.

The tougher challenge comes against the USC run defense, which surrenders 113.8 yards per game and ranks No. 54 in the FBS.

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore watches from the sidelines during a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oregon’s rushing attack (160.7 YPG) hasn’t taken off as expected this season as a Ducks offensive line that’s surrendered seven sacks fine-tunes its footing. 

Suddenly converting to a dual-threat quarterback isn’t exactly an option at this stage in the game, either. His single-game best is just 53 rushing yards against Oregon State in 2025.

That means Moore’s best opportunity to compete with the big names on the PFF list likely requires him to be accurate and efficient through the air, while flashing the big-play arm that’s delivered six of his nine touchdown passes from 36 yards out or longer.

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