The UCLA Bruins might get their chance to face former Bruin quarterback Dante Moore in the 2026 season. Moore announced Wednesday that he will be staying Eugene for another season despite being projected to be a top pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Moore was terrific for the Oregon Ducks this past season but struggled hard against the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Oregon went 13-2 in their first year with Moore as the Ducks starter, Moore put up 3,565 passing yards with 32 total touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
“All my life, it’s just been being as most prepared as I can in any situation I go into,” Moore said on SportsCenter. “I’ll be coming back to Oregon for one more year, and being able to play for the Oregon Ducks and of course reach our goal and be national champions.”
Moore’s presence hasn’t stopped Oregon from acquiring other quarterbacks, with the Ducks landing Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola in the transfer portal earlier this week. Raiola will now likely use a redshirt season and serve as Moore’s backup before taking over the reins for the 2027 season.
It’s a bit surprising to see Moore not head to the NFL draft. Not only was Moore a guaranteed first round pick, he likely would have gone in the top two picks, along with Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets own the top two picks in the draft, and both franchises have struggled to develop quarterbacks, so Moore wasn’t going to be in a rush to join them.
Even with Moore’s success in 2025, he hasn’t made too many starts at the collegiate level. Moore has made 20 starts between UCLA and Oregon but will now have the chance to add onto that total by sticking with the Ducks next season.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: More Moore for Oregon: Dante Moore to stick with Ducks in 2026
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
