One of the standout faces of the 2024 college football season has been Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has a chance to lead the Ducks to a conference championship this weekend.
The Mililani High School graduate will guide Oregon into the Big Ten Championship Game against Penn State on Saturday night in Indianapolis. Gabriel heads into the high-profile matchup fresh off being named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, boasting an impressive résumé of 3,275 passing yards, 31 total touchdowns, and just six interceptions this season.
A Heisman Trophy contender, Gabriel is aiming to deliver Oregon its first conference title since 2020. For the veteran quarterback, it’s exactly the opportunity he envisioned when he transferred to Eugene.
“I think coming here, you believe and have this thought of what could be,” Gabriel said earlier this week. “But a lot of people think about what could be—you’ve got to go make it happen. That’s been the most fulfilling part: just the way we’ve responded and the work these guys have put in.”
Gabriel also shared his motivation for continued success: “Winning is fun. It’s addicting. It’s my drug of choice. Being part of this program is special. You believe it, but when you actually do it, it’s something else. The rest will unfold as we keep playing our butts off.”
Gabriel and the Ducks feature six other Hawai‘i-born players on the roster, including all-conference selection Iapani Laloulu, a Farrington High School alumnus.
Oregon will face Penn State on Saturday at 3 p.m. HST. The game will be televised nationally on CBS.