The 2024 Heisman Trophy concluded with one of the craziest winners in history: Travis Hunter, the Colorado two-way star who never stopped accumulating snaps, catching passes, snagging interceptions, and even taking home awards on both sides of the ball. In addition to amassing impressive defensive stats, he dominated, hauling in 92 receptions for 1,152 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, which is a rare accomplishment. That has set the bar really high.

Now that the 12-team format has been added, the College Football Playoff has only gotten more competitive in 2025. There are some big names like Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, and Texas in the race. Analysts agree that this is one of the most bizarre race setups ever. People, including George Wrighster (Oregon alumni), are beginning to believe that an Oregon QB might have the perfect combination of statistics to steal the Heisman spotlight as he quietly enters the conversation amid all of that chaos. ​​

On the August 11 episode of George Wrighster’s College Football Podcast, while discussing the top 5 watchlists for the Heisman, the former tight end said, “Another kid that I do believe is going to be on the Heisman stage is Dante Moore.”  People continue to treat Moore “like he’s this unknown commodity walk-on quarterback, little engine that could,” as Wrighster puts it. At UCLA in 2023, Moore delivered. He completed 114 of 213 passes (53.5%) for a good 1,610 yards in nine games (five of which he started), with nine interceptions and eleven touchdowns.

 Then Dante Moore moved to Oregon and spent a year behind Dylan Gabriel, and it’s like, “You don’t think that this kid that everybody in the country was after, who actually did some good things as a freshman, chose to sit down and learn and mature voluntarily… and he’s going to be a bum? No, I don’t think so.” The numbers back him up, Moore’s 2023 stat line at UCLA (1,610 yards, 11 TD, 9 INT, 125.6 passer rating) was impressive.

Moore is currently “in year two of an Oregon offense that is built at making the most efficient decision,” as Wrighster reminds us. Take a look at the Ducks’ record. Wrightster says, “Voters don’t watch every single game, especially West Coast games. So, a lot of it is going to depend on what Moore does with the whole country watching when he travels to Happy Valley to play Penn State. And you know that the Oregon marketing machine is going to push him as long as the Ducks are in contention.”

Dante Moore steps into the spotlight in Oregon’s 2025 season

All eyes will be on Dante Moore as the new offensive leader for the Oregon Ducks in 2025. Since high school, the former five-star recruit from Martin Luther King Jr. High in Detroit has had his resume closely examined. As a freshman in 2023, Moore started five of nine games at UCLA. With 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions at a 53.5% completion rate, he demonstrated that he was a gifted but undeveloped quarterback navigating the growing pains of a struggling Bruins offense. As a sophomore in 2024 with Oregon, Moore saw limited action in four games, completing 7 of 8 passes for 49 yards at an 87.5% completion rate.

Under Dan Lanning’s leadership, Oregon’s offense has thrived thanks to accurate passers like Bo Nix and Gabriel, who exploited the Ducks’ playmaking. Oregon supporters hope that Moore’s arm strength to push the ball vertically and his mobility to extend plays will keep them in the running for another Big Ten championship and a deep run in the CFP. Apart from that, Moore’s preseason selection to the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list, alongside Oregon running back Makhi Hughes, is a sign that fans are already keeping tabs on his development.

The pressure is real, though. After defeating Penn State in the conference title game (45-37) and losing to Ohio State with 41-21 in the Rose Bowl, Oregon is coming off a nearly flawless first season in the Big Ten. Although the Ducks have a lot of talent returning, their ability to remain on that elite level will depend on Moore’s ability to produce explosive plays now that Gabriel is gone. The offense “operated efficiently but… didn’t create any explosives,” as Lanning recently acknowledged following a fall camp scrimmage. Moore will be expected to address this when the games start this season.