Three Critical Games for Dante Moore's Heisman Trophy Hopes

The Oregon Ducks should have one of the highest-powered offenses in the entire country, and with Ducks quarterback Dante Moore returning to Eugene, the Oregon offense could be the most exciting that Ducks fans have seen in recent memory.

Moore missed out on a trip to New York last year for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, but there are three games on the Ducks' schedule in 2026 that could bolster Moore’s resume to become the second Oregon Duck to win the prize.

1. Chance to Pad Stats Against Portland State Vikings

Oregon Ducks Dan Lanning Dante Moore Heisman Trophy Big Ten Autzen Stadium Eugene Ohio State Buckeyes Portland State — 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

The Ducks will face off against Portland State on September 19 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. The Week 3 game will provide Moore with a great chance to bolster his stats with completions and touchdown passes, which could come in handy at the end of the season when quarterbacks’ stats are compared to one another.

The Ducks' offense should have no problem running up the score against the Vikings, as the Ducks ran riot in their last matchup against Portland State, which came in 2023 when the Ducks won by a whopping 81-7 score. It will be interesting to see how much of this game Moore will partake in, especially if the score is lopsided in Oregon’s favor in the second half.

2. Showdown Against Ohio State Buckeyes Quarterback Julian Sayin

Another chance that Moore will have to bolster his chances for the Heisman Trophy will come in week 10 when the Ducks will travel to Ohio State to face off against the Buckeyes, where they will meet Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Julian Sayin. Moore doesn't necessarily need to have his best game of the season against Ohio State, but he will need to keep pace with Sayin and not be the reason the Ducks lose the game if they do drop the game.

The Buckeyes will be without three key defensive players in Caleb Downs, Arvelle Reese, and Sonny Styles, all of whom were taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

3. Big Ten Road Battle Against Michigan State

The Ducks will travel to East Lansing on November 20 for the penultimate game of their regular season to face off against Michigan State. The Heisman Trophy race by then should be in full swing, and the outing against the Spartans will allow Moore to have one more chance to fully pad his stats against a Michigan State team that is expected to be around the middle of the pack in the Big Ten in 2026.

If Moore takes care of business against the Ducks' nonconference opponents, such as Boise State, Oklahoma State, and Portland State, he should be in the mix for the Heisman Trophy race throughout the course of the season. Moore will just need to match Sayin’s performance in Ohio and take his chances to pad his stats against Michigan State on the road to solidify his case to be in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

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