The key to achieving Oregon's first national championship in 2026

Oregon's nucleus of senior leadership has marked them as one of the way-too-early favorites for the national championship. Some pundits, websites and publications even tab them as the preseason No. 1.

Of course, a year ago at this time the experts were saying the same things about Clemson, LSU and Penn State. And hardly anyone outside Bloomington predicted the rise of the Hoosiers, who were barely in the way-too-early Top 25.

The formula is supposed to be a core of senior leadership and an experienced returning quarterback. That's the route Ohio State and Michigan took to recent national titles, and Indiana largely followed it.

The Ducks fit the bill after Iapani Laloulu, Bear Alexander, Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, Dave Iuli, Evan Stewart and A'Mauri Washington all passed up the NFL draft to return for their senior years. The team returns 8 of 11 starters on defense. Though there are problems to solve, crucial road games at USC, at Illinois and at Ohio State, plus two new coordinators, they do look poised for a title run on paper.

Last season Oregon fielded the most explosive offense in college football, with 100 plays from scrimmage of 20 yards or more. But the Quack Attack also suffered from a nagging strain of volatility. Dante Moore threw 10 interceptions and was sacked 17 times. The team was 60th in the country in Red Zone Conversions, Against USC, they committed 11 penalties for 130 yards, versus Wisconsin 9 for 75.

In short, the Ducks were explosive, but volatile. In some ways they were like a race car, capable of impressive speed, prone to glitches and breakdowns.

The key to smoothing out their performance and executing with more consistency in big games lies with Dante Moore, specifically in his second-year improvement. Moore produced solid numbers in his first year as a full-time starter but had two terrible games against Indiana.

Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and his players succeeded in getting in Moore's head a bit. He rushed his progressions, stared down his primary targets and started seeing ghosts in a big game, responsible for three crippling first half turnovers as the Ducks fell behind 35-7 by the break.

Entering his junior year, the 6-3 gunslinger from Martin Luther King High in Detroit is likely to be smoother and more consistent, less prone to big errors. He's always had the ability to make all the throws.

Moore Version 2.0 has to make the leap Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik didn't make. The game has to slow down for him the way it did for Fernando Mendoza, a season where he makes all the big plays.