Oregon Ducks' Upset Loss Sparks New Problem for Dante Moore’s Heisman Case

It was a historically bad weekend for coach Dan Lanning and the now No. 21 Oregon Ducks. Oregon suffered its worst loss of the Lanning era, losing on the road in Stillwater to an 0-1, unranked Oklahoma State team.

The loss marked the first and only loss of Lanning’s tenure to an unranked opponent. However, despite the loss, Lanning remains optimistic on where the season could go.

Dante Moore Heisman Trophy odds Oregon Ducks Oklahoma State loss stats performance 2026 Heisman race +6000 — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks on as the Oregon Ducks face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12, 2026, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“There are a lot of things you can look at and evaluate and say, ‘Okay, let’s go to work.’ Ultimately, on the same note, every single goal is still in front of us. We control our destiny,” said Lanning immediately following the loss.

However, while the Ducks’ path to a national championship just got increasingly more difficult, so did Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s path to Heisman Trophy contention.

The Ducks essentially have no margin for error moving forward, and the same can be said for Moore after his performance against Oklahoma State. Despite throwing for 378 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, the way Oregon’s season has started has made it much harder for Moore to remain in the Heisman conversation.

That was reflected in the updated Heisman Trophy odds following Oregon’s loss.

How the Heisman Odds Changed After Week 2

Here is how some of the top Heisman contenders' odds changed following Week 2, according to DraftKings:

• Darian Mensah, QB, Miami: +1,100 → +550
• Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State: +1,400 → +700
• Arch Manning, QB, Texas: +750 → +1,000
• CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame: +700 → +1,050
• Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss: +1,300 → +1,300
• Malachi Toney, WR, Miami: +3,800 → +1,300
• Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State: +1,200 → +1,500
• Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana: +1,500 → +1,750
• Jayden Maiava, QB, USC: +2,500 → +1,800
• Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU: +2,000 → +2,500
• Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia: +2,000 → +2,500
• Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State: +15,000 → +2,500
• LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina: +4,000 → +4,400
• Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU: +8,000 → +4,500
• Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama: +2,600 → +4,800
• Faizon Brandon, QB, Tennessee: +4,500 → +5,500
• Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU: +5,500 → +5,800
• Dante Moore, QB, Oregon: +1,100 → +6,000
• Aaron Philo, QB, Florida: +7,000 → +6,000
• Rocco Becht, QB, Penn State: +6,000 → +6,200
• Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State: +6,500 → +6,400

Dante Moore’s Heisman Odds Reveal the Impact of His Oklahoma State Struggles

Moore entered the 2026 season as one of the front runners to take home to heisman trophy, but two weeks into the season, that possibility is looking less and less likley.

Before the season, Moore was No. 3 in the Heisman odds at +1,100, trailing only Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (+700) and Texas quarterback Arch Manning (+750). After Oregon’s Week 1 win over Boise State, Moore remained near the top of the race, but dropped to sixth at +1,300 per draft kings,

Now, after Oregon’s loss to Oklahoma State, Moore has dropped all the way to tied for 18th at +6,000 with Florida quarterback Aaron Philo.

That is a +4,900 drop in his odds, which makes Moore's drop the biggest among the top Heisman contenders.

After putting together an impressive 378-yard, three-touchdown performance against Boise State in Week 1, Moore struggled to find the same rhythm in Stillwater.

He completed just 14 of 29 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns. Moore also completed just 48.3 percent of his passes, which is the lowest single-game completion percentage of his entire Oregon career as a starter. Prior to that, his lowest completion percentage was 60 percent in 2025 vs. Wisconsin.

While that number is not entirely Moore’s fault, as there were several inexcusable drops by Oregon receivers, the reality is that it does not necessarily matter whose fault each incompletion was when it comes to the Heisman race. At the end of the day, the numbers are what voters see.

Moore's performance in Stillwater also significantly changed Moore’s season numbers. His 191 yards against Oklahoma State brought his season total to 569 yards through two games. His completion percentage dropped from 75.7 percent after Week 1 to 63.6 percent, and his yards per attempt fell from 10.2 to 8.6.

Moore is no longer just behind the preseason favorites. He has been passed by a number of quarterbacks, including Indiana’s Josh Hoover, Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers among sedveral others.

Moore’s road back up the Heisman odds board is still there. But after Oregon’s loss to Oklahoma State, in order for Moore to be in contention, he has to run the table and lead Oregon to statement wins over some of the Big Ten’s most formidable opponents.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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