Quarterback to Back: Zane Flores to Make First Career Start at No. 6 Oregon

The Cowboys are one week into the season, and they’re already down one QB.

After Week 1 starter Hauss Hejny suffered a broken foot in first quarter of the Pokes’ 27-7 win against UT-Martin, Oklahoma State’s hopes landed on the untested shoulders of Zane Flores. He won’t be untested after this weekend.

The third-year Cowboy will make his first career start as a huge road underdog against the No. 6 team in the nation. Across the field, Flores will face Dante Moore, fresh off an impressive debut as the Ducks’ starter. Let’s take a look at that QB matchup by the numbers and then how it might play out in Eugene on Saturday.

The sample size is small for both. Flores missed the first three drives against UT-Martin, and Moore needed only 23 throws to lead Oregon past another FCS opponent in Montana State. But Moore’s efficiency and down-field acumen stand out. That 9.3 yards per attempt was inflated by a 20-yard touchdown and a play in which Dicks receiver Malik Benson took a short throw over the middle 50 yards.

Flores, on the other hand, did most of his passing on the shorter end. Though he did find Terrill Davis for a big play downfield of his own.

In Moore, the Ducks have a quarterback with starting experience as a freshman at UCLA. He played second fiddle to Dillon Gabriel last season as Oregon made its CFP run in 2024. Now, after one FCS game, he looks ready to make his own go at a Big Ten championship.

More pressing on Flores’ mind will be the Ducks’ defense.

While a blowout of Montana State may not be the most telling result, Oregon retooled a defense that ranked 16th in scoring defense, allowing less than 20 points per game. The Ducks ranked 25th in passing defense, 15th in total defense, 14th in sacks and 23rd in opponent third-down percentage on their way to a 13-1 season. Pro Football Focus landed their defensive line just outside the Top 10 nationally this offseason.

The Cowboys are big underdogs on the road and no one is tabbing them to pull the upset. In a strange way, this takes a little pressure off the biggest game in Flores’ life (up to this point).

Struggle in your first game against a legit Power Four defense (any Power Four defense), and that is to be expected. Perform well, and there’s reason for optimism. Do something crazy and keep the Cowboys in it, and that’s the stuff of legend.