Oregon Ducks' Remarkable Streak Ends After Latest Awards Announcement

The Oregon Ducks' two-year streak of having a finalist for the Heisman Trophy came to an end on Monday as the finalists for the award were announced. How did the last two Oregon players do in the season they were Heisman finalists?

Nov 29, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning after the game against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks have had two consecutive finalists for the Heisman Trophy, featuring a pair of talented quarterbacks over the last two seasons: Bo Nix (2023) and Dillon Gabriel (2024). On Monday, though, the Ducks saw their two-year streak of having a Heisman finalist come to an end.

Three quarterbacks, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, and Notre Dame running back Jereimiyah Love, were named finalists for the 2025 Heisman Trophy. 

Gabriel and Nix finished third in Heisman voting when they were both finalists. As for this season, the Ducks' player, who had the best case of potentially being a Heisman finalist, was Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. During the regular season, Moore threw for 2,733 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Here’s a look at how Gabriel and Nix performed in the seasons when they were Heisman finalists.

Bo Nix's 2023 Season 

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix throws out a pass during the first half as the No. 13 Oregon Ducks take on the Stanford Cardinal Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Ncaa Football Oregon Stanford Football Stanford At Oregon | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During the 2023 season, Nix finished second in the Pac-12 behind another Heisman finalist that year, Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr, throwing for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Nix had a better completion percentage, while having more touchdowns and fewer interceptions than Penix, despite finishing third behind the Washington quarterback in the final Heisman Trophy voting that season. 

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Oregon’s two losses that season came at the hands of the Huskies, losing once in Seattle and again in the final Pac-12 championship game. The Ducks lost both games by three points and fell just short of reaching the College Football Playoff. Nix capped off his Oregon career by leading the Ducks to a 45-6 win over the Liberty Flames in the Fiesta Bowl.

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) scrambles against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Since then, Nix has revitalized the Denver Broncos franchise during his two seasons in the NFL, leading them to the playoffs in his rookie year. So far this season, Nix and the Broncos have an 11-2 record and are currently on a 10-game winning streak as they look to capture their first AFC West title since 2016. 

Dillon Gabriel's 2024 Season

Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) runs on-field during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Last season, Dillon Gabriel led the Ducks to an undefeated 13-0 regular season, which included winning the Big Ten Championship over the Penn State Nittany Lions in their first year in the conference. 

Gabriel finished third in the Heisman voting behind Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Colorado defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter, who won the prestigious award in 2024. Gabriel was second in the Big Ten in passing behind Ohio State’s Will Howard, throwing for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and six interceptions. 

Gabriel's undefeated regular season came to an end at the hands of the eventual National Champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, as Oregon fell 41-21 in the CFP Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl.

In his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns, Gabriel has played in nine games, throwing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was recently benched in favor of former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.