Snubbed in Heisman voting, Dante Moore remains QB Duck fans wouldn't trade away

Pat Kraft couldn't have been more wrong. In an F-bomb laced tirade, he told Penn State players Dante Moore was "shaking" during Oregon's 26-20 win at the White Out Game, even when the video tape clearly shows him calmly sidestepping Dani Dennis-Sutton and side arming a pass to Gary Bryant Jr. for the winning touchdown in double overtime.

At the time it seemed like his Heisman moment. Moore was the favorite at FanDuel at +500 as the calendar turned to October but plummeted after a loss to Indiana and getting his nose broken in a low-scoring win over Wisconsin.

He redeemed himself with a clutch field goal drive in the wind and rain at Iowa, looked scintillating in a 42-27 win over USC and dismantled the Dawgs in Seattle, but when Heisman voters turned in their ballots this week, he wasn't even in the Top Ten.

Once a favorite, Moore plummeted after a rough day against IU

The finalists are Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Notre Dame running back Jerimyah Love, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.

While it wasn't surprising Moore didn't make this group-- his overall stats and consistency weren't quite Heisman-worthy-- it was a little surprising he didn't even get a MENTION for college football's most coveted individual award.

In the end, wins are what matter

Moore finished the regular season No. 6 in the nation in passer rating at 167.3. He completed 72.5 percent of his throws for 2,733 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions, a notch below the numbers racked up by Sayin, Mendoza and Pavia.

Back in October when the Heisman buzz was hot and the praise flowed like rat poison, the Motor City Magician kept in perspective. He told reporters, "I think Jabbar Muhammad said it best 'team success that's when player success comes with it'."

"Without the receivers and the O-Linemen not giving up any sacks, without all the people around me I would never have what I have now. So I feel like none of these things that are coming are stuff I'm doing by myself. It's a team thing. But it's just blessings and I give glory to God."

Even so, Moore had a November to remember:

Dante Moore's Heisman-worthy finish

While the Iowa stats weren't impressive, a game played in the wind and driving rain, what was impressive was Moore driving the Ducks for a winning field goal, including a laser shot down the sideline to Malik Benson to set up the kick. He also had a 42-yard run, the Ducks' longest play from scrimmage.

With the game on the line, Moore made the clutch play to win. He made another one in the fourth quarter against Washington, connecting with Malik Benson on third and nine for a 64-yard touchdown to seal the game.

These might have been Moore's Heisman moments, but the award tends to reward stat accumulation over poise and leadership. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning told sports radio host Jim Rome, "He has great poise and is really calm in the moment. He brings confidence in the people around him."

The balance in the Oregon offense worked against the redshirt sophomore in the trophy chase. He wasn't throwing 35-40 times a game and racking up 400-yard games. By design, the Ducks have a lot of ways to score.

Moore's ability to drive the ball downfield in big moments makes him a top pro prospect.

Even though his performance didn't resonate with Heisman voters, Moore's consistency and development shot him to the top of draft boards, and the Ducks are playing for a national championship. A Heisman or a trip to New York didn't materialize, but the national championship trophy remains a possibility.