Oregon Ducks’ Dante Moore and Penn State’s Drew Allar could alter the Heisman race with a strong performance on Saturday
The winning quarterback of this game could find themselves a top of the Heisman rankings come Sunday.
The Heisman Trophy race just got a whole lot more interesting. With Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer sidelined for a month with a broken throwing hand, the door is wide open for a new frontrunner to emerge. For Oregon, that means all eyes turn to sophomore quarterback Dante Moore, who has the opportunity to vault himself to the very top of the race in Saturday’s showdown at Penn State.
So far, Moore has looked every bit the part of a Heisman contender. Through four games, he’s completing an eye-popping 74.7 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns against just one interception. His poise and accuracy have stood out, and he’s shown the ability to command an Oregon offense that hasn’t skipped a beat despite injuries around him.
On the other sideline, Penn State’s Drew Allar will have the same opportunity. Allar has thrown for 626 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception – solid but not spectacular. Still, if he outduels Moore under the lights, he could leap forward in the Heisman race.
For Moore, the challenge won’t only be about Penn State’s defense. Oregon’s run defense has been shaky, leaving little margin for error. The Ducks’ linebackers, led by senior Bryce Boettcher, will need to clamp down against the Nittany Lions’ ground game to give Moore enough possessions to leave his mark.
Moore already has the efficiency and highlight-reel throws to make voters take notice. What he needs is that defining game that proves he can carry Oregon in a hostile environment and beat a top-10 opponent. Saturday gives him exactly that chance.
Oregon hasn’t produced a Heisman winner since Marcus Mariota in 2014. If Moore shines and the Ducks escape Happy Valley with a win, he won’t just be in the Heisman conversation – he could be leading it.
