Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is drawing praise from an unexpected corner this offseason — a USC-centric preview site. Micah Huff of Trojans Wire, via Yahoo Sports, argues that Moore will present a tougher challenge for USC’s secondary in 2026 than Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, even though the Trojans have to prepare for both signal-callers this season.

The comparison is notable because Sayin enters the year with a flashier résumé. According to the column, Sayin was a Heisman finalist last season and led Ohio State to the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff as a true freshman starter. But Huff points out that Sayin’s age showed in the biggest moments, with Indiana and Miami’s defenses rattling him enough to force losses in both games.

Moore’s Postseason Struggles Get a Different Read

Moore also had a strong season by the Trojans Wire columnist’s account, but he too stumbled in the postseason. Huff notes that Moore survived a shaky performance against Texas Tech only because his defense carried him, and that he could not overcome a dominant Indiana team in the national title picture.

Despite those postseason blemishes, Huff still gives Moore the edge over Sayin as the tougher out for USC. The reasoning leans on traits rather than raw statistics — the column concedes that Sayin is the better quarterback if you’re simply comparing numbers, but frames Moore as the player with the higher ceiling and the intangibles to become a “franchise quarterback” beyond this season.

Why USC Sees Moore as the Bigger Danger

The core argument centers on how each quarterback handles pressure schemes. Huff suggests USC’s defense could specifically target and rattle Sayin, and if that happens, even a supporting cast that includes Jeremiah Smith might not be enough to bail out Ohio State’s offense.

Moore, by contrast, is described as a quarterback entering 2026 with something to prove after his own postseason letdown, but one who possesses the pocket instincts to beat aggressive gameplans on his own. Per the column, “there is nothing the defense can do to stop him in the pocket” when Moore is playing at his best — a notable vote of confidence from a rival team’s outlet.

What It Means for Oregon Fans

For Oregon supporters, the piece is less about USC’s game-planning and more validation of Moore’s standing among the Big Ten’s elite quarterbacks heading into his sophomore-caliber season. Being mentioned in the same breath as a Heisman finalist by an opposing fan outlet suggests Moore’s national profile continues to grow.

Trojans Wire’s Huff also cautioned that USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson can’t afford to focus on just one of the two quarterbacks, since both Moore and Sayin have shown they can win games largely on their own. That’s a reminder that Oregon’s matchup with USC will hinge heavily on how much time Moore is given in the pocket — and how the Ducks’ offensive line and skill players around him respond to whatever pressure packages Patterson dials up.

Related: Dante Moore, Dakorien Moore Recognized Among College Football’s Top Duos

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Thanks for all of the great posts today!

Sayin waltzed through a Big Ten regular season playing with a significant roster advantage on both sides of the ball, including the nation's best defense.

No Oregon or Indiana were on the 2025 schedule. Michigan was a dysfunctional mess.

Indiana in the conference champ game and Miami in the 2nd round of the playoff punched the Buckeyes O in the mouth. Sayin was pressured like he hadn't been all season, and he didn't step up. In fairness, the Ohio State run game that had been average all season fell apart in the postseason.

Moore's game against Texas Tech was symptomatic of the entire offense going against one of the best D's in CFB. The Oregon O line was overwhelmed by the Red Raiders D. Even Poncho had a tough game with a couple of bowling ball bad snaps.

The Ducks O was also shut down twice by Indiana against Iowa in Iowa City and stuttered against Northwestern and Wisconsin.

Oregon lost twice to the national champion, but Dante won two playoff games, engineered victories against Northwestern and Wisconsin, and led an incredible late-game drive in a torrential rainstorm to beat Iowa.

UW under Jedd Fisch has been a very tough out in Seattle, but the Huskies were not a threat to defeat Oregon. OBD controlled this game as impressively as Ohio State when the Buckeyes played in Seattle.

Even in the debacle that was the Bloomington-South Peach Bowl, Dante led a terrific 2nd possession drive to knot the score. His breakdowns came in a stupid, IMO, 1st play of the game call, a muffed handoff to an inexperienced RB, an O-line breakdown, and a defense that couldn't get off the field. But Indiana did go 16-0.

When you put up 69 points against Oklahoma State, and 56 points against Rutgers, the Total O stats will not tell the whole story.

Dante was a young and inexperienced QB in 2025 with his OC with one foot out the door during the playoffs, and a dinged-up WR and RB corps. How the O-line gels and how much Dante has improved, along with the dreaded injury bug not infecting the team, are the keys to a possible championship in 2026.

Whether Dante is better than Sayin or not, USC best be ready for both Moore and Sayin and also ready for DeMond Williams and UW, and on the road against Rocco Becht and Penn State, and Josh Hoover and Indiana.

Riley is 1-6 in true Big Ten road games.

I think and hope that SC struggles to go over 8.5 wins.

Beat Boise!