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Dante Moore Reaches Career Milestone With EA Sports College Football 2027 Release

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore is fulfilling side quest achievements as a recent announcement unveils he's one of three athletes on the cover of the popular sports video game franchise.
Ally Osborne|
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field following the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field following the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks are no stranger to gracing the cover of the recently revived and ever-popular video game EA Sports College Football. with 2026's deluxe edition featuring Dan Lanning and the Oregon Duck mascot.

However, recently reported information shows that the Ducks will have a big presence on the cover of this years' game, with returning starting quarterback Dante Moore as one of the cover models.

Oregon’s Dante Moore celebrates during the first half of he Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026
Oregon’s Dante Moore celebrates during the first half of he Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Duck On The Cover Of EA Sports College Football 2027

According to On3 Sports' Pete Nakos, Moore will join Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy and Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney on the standard edition cover, which typically features two to three athletes of prominence going into the following season.

Also according to Nakos, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore will join the previous three athletes on the deluxe edition cover.

The cover is expected to be revealed on Tuesday, with the video game coming to shelves and available for download in mid-July, prior to the start of the 2026 season.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9,
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Internet is Leaking

Rumors have been floating around for at least over a week that Moore would be one of the athletes selected for the cover of the video game. Some blurry test photos surfaced online with Moore among three other athletes.

Most recent to the latest report from Nakos, an image was revealed of all the reported models plus other stars like Texas linebacker Colin Simmons.

This cover, and the standard edition cover, makes sense to feature Moore, as he's one of the most anticipated talents for the 2026 season. Moore's decision to return to Oregon instead of entering into the 2026 NFL Draft for what many speculated would be a first round selection is quite the storyline heading into Oregon's season.

Combat Ducks quarterback Dante Moore looks to pass during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Sta
Combat Ducks quarterback Dante Moore looks to pass during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

More Money, More Dante Moore

There's also the financial aspect of Moore's inclusion in this cover. Back in 2025, Matt Liberman of CLLCT Media obtained documents revealing EA Sports' payment plans for universities. This includes the introduction of game sales being attributed to specific university fandoms and tier rankings that distributed earnings based on the previous 10 years of AP Poll rankings and post season appearances.

Based on those rankings, schools were fit into each tier which paid out differently. Oregon made the top tier with programs like Alabama, Iowa, and Penn State.

EA College Football 2026 Payout Tiers

  • Tier 1: $99,875.16
  • Tier 2: $59,925.09
  • Tier 3: $39,950.06
  • Tier 4: $9,987.52
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore speaks during a media availability on April 7, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore speaks during a media availability on April 7, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last year, Pathway Sports & Entertainment began negotiating NIL deals for players which led to some athletes included in the game getting $3000 in total with half coming from EA and half from Pathway. There are no available reports out regarding how much EA Sports College Football cover models get paid in comparisson to in-game NIL use.

How much NIL is associated with the cover athletes is not publicly known.

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Published
Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.

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