EUGENE - Oregon’s quarterback picture is starting to come into focus for Saturday, and it points toward Dylan Raiola getting the nod on the road against Illinois.
That expected call lines up with what happened in the Ducks’ 17-14 comeback win over Nebraska, where Raiola provided the lift Oregon needed. It also fits the fact that Raiola, not Brock Thomas or Dante Moore, handled media duties Wednesday.
Moore, meanwhile, is still working his way back after suffering a concussion against USC on Sept. 26.
His return date is still up in the air, but there is reason to believe the recovery is moving in the right direction. Per On3’s Pete Nakos, Moore has been getting more practice reps in recent weeks as he closes in on a return.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has kept a careful line throughout the process, stressing that Moore’s health comes first. Moore has been on the field for pregame warmups and has been practicing ahead of Oregon’s last two games, which suggests he is staying involved even while he heals.
There’s more than just a quarterback rotation at stake here. The 4-2 Ducks still have a path into the College Football Playoff conversation if they can run the table, and the schedule ahead gives them several chances to build a case.
After Illinois, Oregon comes back home to play Northwestern, one of the bigger surprises in college football this season, along with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. If Moore is available for that game, it would add an interesting layer to the matchup, since Kelly coached Moore at UCLA during the quarterback’s freshman season before he transferred to Oregon.
Then comes another major test on the road against Ohio State and coach Ryan Day. The Buckeyes are dealing with a quarterback issue of their own after Julian Sayin suffered a season-ending injury.
Both No. 3 Ohio State and No.
24 Northwestern are in the AP Top 25 Poll, and ranked wins would matter a lot for Oregon after early losses to Oklahoma State and No. 9 UCLA.
The Ducks still have plenty left after that stretch: Michigan at home, Michigan State on the road, and then Washington to close the regular season.
Moore’s situation also carries NFL implications. In an exclusive from Oregon Ducks On SI, an NFL scout said Moore’s absence has not yet changed much in terms of his draft status.
"I wouldn't say anything has been affected yet," the scout said.
Still, the longer he sits, the more uncertainty can creep in. The concern is that if Moore does not play again this season, it could raise his “risk of falling” in the 2027 NFL Draft, especially since teams want to know he is fully recovered before making major first-round decisions.
The same NFL intel said Moore’s talent and the throws he has put on film still make him “probably” a first-round prospect. At the same time, evaluators want more growth in his decision-making and how he handles pressure.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. already has him No. 25 overall on his first 2027 NFL Draft Big Board.
Raiola also spoke about what Moore is still bringing to the team while he works back physically. Most of that help, Raiola said, happens away from the field.
“Obviously he's at practice doing as much as he can, but most of his help comes in the meeting rooms,” Raiola said. “Dude's played a lot of ball. He's got a lot of reps in this offense and plays that we've ran.”
"He's just more just giving us game experiences that he's seen for himself. And it gives us kind of a perspective on what we can, think to that's going to happen on this play or that play.
It kind of helps us speed up the process. So we're not learning in the game, 'All right, they're going to play like this,'" Raiola continued.
"We kind of have that peace of mind going into the game," Raiola said.
Oregon’s offense also has a bit of momentum to carry over from Nebraska. Raiola entered for Brock Thomas to start the fourth quarter and immediately changed the feel of the game.
The Ducks piled up 151 yards in the final period, more than they managed in the first three quarters combined. Raiola finished the winning drive by connecting with tight end Jamari Johnson on a four-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left, capping a 20-play, 82-yard march.
Kickoff at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. is set for noon P.T. on Oct. 24, with the game airing on the Big Ten Network.
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Illinois Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Without Its Starting QB
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For Illinois, the timing adds another layer of pressure in what was already shaping up as a major measuring-stick game. Injury reports have become central to the buildup, along with the numbers that help frame how each offense may have to adjust, and the expert predictions reflect how much the missing quarterbacks change the feel of the matchup. Even with the uncertainty, this still looks like one of the biggest tests on the Illini calendar. [Read more 🡒]