Okay, the word is out: College football coaches and execs are absolutely buzzing about Oregon quarterback Dante Moore for the upcoming 2026 season. They’re not just whispering either; Bruce Feldman’s poll for The Athletic surveyed 18 high-level folks, and their predictions for Moore and the Ducks are going to get everyone hyped for real.
The Heisman Hype Is Real
A whopping nine out of 18 coaches and front office members surveyed said Moore is their pick for the Heisman Trophy. That’s a huge vote of confidence before the season even really kicks off! One Big 12 general manager nailed it, telling Feldman, “I’m really curious to see if Dante Moore gets better… I’ll say Moore because he’s gonna have a lot of marquee games.” This isn’t just a hunch either. Moore is heading into his second year as the Ducks’ starter after a monster first season. He shredded defenses, completing 71.8 percent of his passes for 3,565 yards, tossing 30 touchdowns against only 10 interceptions. That kind of production led Oregon straight to the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Ducks Chasing The Crown, Others In The Mix
And it’s not just the Heisman hype. Six of those 18 coaches and executives are also tabbing Oregon as the national title favorite! Talk about some serious expectations for the Ducks in 2026. But it won’t be easy; they’ve got a brutal schedule coming up, with four matchups against preseason AP Top 25 teams. We’re talking road games at USC and Ohio State, plus huge home matchups against Michigan and Washington. Yikes!
Other programs are getting some love for the title, too. Notre Dame and Ohio State each grabbed three votes, with Texas getting two. Even Georgia, Miami, and defending national champ Indiana each picked up a single vote. As for other Heisman contenders, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith got four votes, and Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr snagged two. Texas’ Arch Manning, Indiana’s Josh Hoover, and LSU’s Sam Leavitt also each received one vote. And just for a little extra spice? Seven out of 18 coaches called LSU “the biggest fraud” in college football. That’s a bold take!
Oregon has its work cut out for it, facing a gauntlet of Top 25 teams right off the bat. Every single play is going to be scrutinized as Moore looks to build on his insane stats and lead the Ducks to glory. You gotta watch these games, because the stakes for Moore and Oregon couldn’t be higher with all this early season buzz.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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