Why Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dante Moore Is In Heisman Trophy Conversation

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore will attempt to become the third Oregon Ducks quarterback in as many years to be invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. Moore will have a chance to make his case in week five, when the Oregon Ducks visit the Penn State Nittany Lions to take on Heisman Trophy hopeful Drew Allar.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore speaks with reporters during Oregon football’s Media Day on July 28, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks are entering the 2025-26 season off the back of sending two quarterbacks in a row to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. Ducks quarterback Dante Moore will attempt to be the third Ducks quarterback in as many years to be in New York in December for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

Simply being the leader of Oregon's offense under Ducks coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordiator Will Stein puts Moore in conversations for the Heisman. Moore currently has the best odds of any Oregon player to win the Heisman Trophy this season. According to Fanduel Sportsbook, Moore is listed at +2500.

Only three quarterbacks are listed at less than +1000. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is the betting favorite at +700, while Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier are tied at +900 according to Fanduel.

Opportunity to Make Statement vs. Penn State

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar talks with reporters during football media day in Holuba Hall on Saturday, August 2, 2025, in State College. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Moore will have an excellent opportunity to make his case for becoming the Heisman Trophy winner in week five when the Ducks travel to Happy Valley to square off against Penn State.

The Nittany Lions' starting quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful will be Drew Allar, who is tabbed with +1800 odds. Should the Ducks win in Happy Valley and Moore plays better than Allar, his Heisman case won’t be able to be ignored.

Moore will also have a chance to prove his Heisman Trophy case in week six when the Indiana Hoosiers visit Autzen Stadium. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is at +5000 to win the Heisman Trophy, according to Fanduel.

Moore is expected to be Oregon's starter, and Moore's status as a high-profile recruit only adds to the excitement surrounding him. The Ducks pursued him out of high school and then again in the transfer portal after Moore spent his freshman season at UCLA.

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Only One Other Oregon Duck In Heisman Trophy Conversations

Nov 24, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) runs against UTSA Roadrunners running back Kevorian Barnes (4) during the first half at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Only one other Oregon Duck is able to be bet on at Fanduel Sportsbook. Ducks running back Makhi Hughes, who transferred from Tulane this past offseason, is at +12000 to lift the Heisman Trophy in December of this year.

Should Hughes do the improbable and win the Heisman, it would end a 10-year drought of running backs winning the award. Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry was the last running back to do so back in 2015 when Henry was with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel was the preseason betting favorite prior to the 2024 season. Veteran quarterbacks who are going into their fourth or fifth season of college football often dominate the top of the list for sportsbooks, and Gabriel was going into his sixth college football season.

Aug 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) warms up before the game between the Browns and the Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a similar story to Gabriel. Nix was tabbed with the seventh-best odds of any quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy prior to the 2023-24 college football season. Nix was settled with +1100 odds to win the Heisman Trophy. While neither Nix nor Gabriel won the award, both were invited to New York for the presentation.

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