Dante Moore Emerges as Heisman Frontrunner Post Oregon Penn State Win

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore emerged as the front‑runner in the 2025 Heisman Trophy race after leading the Ducks to a 30-24 doubleovertime road victory against No. 3 Penn State in Week 5. Moore completed 29 of 39 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Beaver Stadium, pushing Oregon to an undefeated start and vaulting him to the top of ballots and betting markets following a weekend of upsets and injuries across college football.

Moore entered the weekend with 1,210 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and one interception through five games. His performance in a hostile environment and consistent season numbers have shortened his odds in sportsbooks, making him the only player listed inside roughly 10-to-1 in recent markets. Polls of analysts and an early straw poll of voters produced similar results, putting Moore narrowly ahead of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza in panel voting.

Mendoza, a transfer from Cal, has produced nearly identical numbers to Moore through five games with 1,208 yards, 16 touchdowns and one interception. He guided No. 11 Indiana to a 20-15 win at Iowa, throwing for 233 yards and two scores while delivering late drives that preserved the...