Greg McElroy names the best quarterback in college football after Week 5

Oregon’s Dante Moore earns recognition as college football’s top quarterback after Week 5.

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy (14) ranked Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore as the best quarterback in college football through five weeks. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The first month of the season has already reshaped the conversation around the nation’s best quarterbacks.

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy reshuffled his quarterback rankings after five weeks of the college football season, and a new leader has emerged. During his Always College Football podcast, McElroy named Oregon quarterback Dante Moore the top passer in the country. It was a striking conclusion given how much his preseason projections have changed.

McElroy admitted that his early lists “were a bona fide disaster” and said that film from the first month of the season forced him to reassess. After watching Moore guide Oregon through a perfect 5-0 start, including a gritty double-overtime road win at Penn State, McElroy placed him at the top of his updated rankings.

“At number one, Dante Moore of the Oregon Ducks through the five games that I've watched this year, he has been one of the most efficient, one of the most poised, one of the most productive quarterbacks I've seen so far this year,” McElroy said. “Dante Moore, so far, the first five weeks, he's been the best quarterback in college football.”

Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore Leads McElroy’s Updated Rankings

Moore’s rise to the No. 1 spot is fueled by steady efficiency, composure in difficult spots and a series of key wins. Against Penn State, Moore completed 29 of 39 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns, including the decisive 25-yard strike in double overtime that silenced the Beaver Stadium White Out. The win pushed Oregon to 5-0, their 23rd straight regular-season victory.

McElroy highlighted that Moore has taken just one sack through five games, a mark that underscores his field vision and decision-making. He has thrown for 1,210 yards, 14 touchdowns and just one interception, with a completion rate of nearly 75 percent. Those numbers have made him both the Big Ten Player of the Week and the early favorite for the Heisman Trophy in The Athletic’s first straw poll.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning shares an embrace with quarterback Dante Moore after the program's big road win against Penn State on Saturday. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The podcast also showed how drastically McElroy’s preseason assessments have changed. His summer rankings had names like Cade Klubnik, Garrett Nussmeier and Drew Allar in the top five. None of them appear in his current top 10.

Instead, players like Ty Simpson of Alabama, CJ Carr of Notre Dame, Fernando Mendoza of Indiana and Demond Williams Jr. of Washington now hold high spots behind Moore.

Moore’s Breakout Season Sparks Oregon’s Playoff Push

Oregon’s 30-24 victory over Penn State reinforced why Moore is viewed as the nation’s best quarterback through five weeks. He delivered the game-winning throw after overcoming crowd noise, defensive pressure and a Nittany Lions rally that forced overtime.

Moore has already earned his first Big Ten weekly award and his fourth three-touchdown passing game of the year. He ranks among the nation’s leaders in accuracy and efficiency, while Oregon improved to 12-0 in Big Ten regular-season play since joining the league. Coach Dan Lanning credited the win to his team’s ability to wear down opponents, calling the final interception “a jugular.”

Can’t say enough about the poise of #Oregon QB Dante Moore vs. Penn State. He was nails on 3rd down and “gotta have it” moments throughout the game. pic.twitter.com/4rLNbFoGqH

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) September 28, 2025

The breakout is even more remarkable considering Moore transferred from UCLA last season and redshirted before becoming Oregon’s starter this fall. Questions about his readiness have quickly vanished as his name now sits atop national awards conversations. With Oregon in the top two of the rankings and Moore pacing the Heisman race, the Ducks’ season has already taken on championship significance.

The Ducks are on a bye this week and will return to action at home on Oct. 11 when they host the No. 8 Indiana Hoosiers at Autzen Stadium.