Within minutes of announcing a return to Oregon for 2026, Dante Moore became a Heisman favorite.
It's early, and the odds will shift dramatically by the end of September, but by Wednesday afternoon the graduate of Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Detroit went from unlisted to a tie for sixth on FanDuel's big board.
FanDuel Heisman Trophy Odds 2026
Arch Manning Texas quarterback +750
CJ Carr Notre Dame quarterback +800
Jeremiah Smith Ohio State wide receiver +1100
Julian Sayin Ohio State quarterback +1100
Josh Hoover Indiana quarterback +1100
Gunner Stockton Georgia quarterback +1300
Sam Leavitt LSU LSU quarterback +1300
Dante Moore Oregon quarterback +1300
Jayden Maiava USC quarterback +1700
Marcel Reed Texas A&M quarterback +1700
Brendan Sorsby Texas Tech quarterback +2200
As always, the award will come down to a player making big-time plays in big-time games. Next season, the Ducks have road games at Illinois, USC and Ohio State, though the dates haven't been announced yet. They'll travel to Oklahoma State on September 12.
Early look at Oregon’s 2026 opponents: pic.twitter.com/1HxoqqgGA3
— Oregon Updates (@oregon__updates) January 10, 2026
Moore will have weapons. His 2026 receiver corps includes dynamic tight end Jamari Johnson, highlight film catch guy Jeremiah McClellan, sensational soph Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart returning from injury, 10.15 speedster Gatlin Bair, Messiah Hampton and Texas five-star Jalen Lott.
He's got a potent running game featuring the Thunder and Lightning duo of Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill, plus a defense anchored by the strongest defensive line in college football in Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington. The secondary features hair-on-fire safety Koi Perich and Freshman All-American Brandon Finney, added to five-star freshman safety Jett Washington, 6-5, 205,
Evan Stewart’s reaction to Dante returning: pic.twitter.com/5mCtcTbfmd
— Oregon Updates (@oregon__updates) January 14, 2026