Dylan Raiola’s roughest day in an Oregon uniform may have changed the look of Nebraska’s next matchup.
For much of the buildup to October 17, it had seemed possible that Nebraska would see its former starting quarterback from the last two seasons lined up across from it when the Ducks come to town. Raiola’s first two outings for his new team, plus Dante Moore’s ugly injury a few weeks back, had pointed in that direction. Then Saturday happened against UCLA.
Whatever the explanation, Raiola was off from the opening stretch and never found his footing in Oregon’s 17-15 loss. He opened by completing his first three throws and helped the Ducks grab a 6-3 lead, but the game quickly went sideways after that. He missed his next seven passes and was eventually benched late in a defensive grind that looked nothing like the offensive shootout many expected.
Raiola finished 6 of 19 for 43 yards, with 2 interceptions and a lost fumble on a strip-sack. Half of Oregon’s 6 turnovers were on him, a brutal line in a game that offered very little margin for error.
That opening left the Ducks turning to Brock Thomas, and he did enough to put real pressure on Raiola’s hold on the job. Thomas went 11 of 15 for 156 yards and threw a touchdown that would have tied the game if Oregon had converted either of its two two-point tries.
On the first attempt, Oregon tried to run Thomas into the end zone, but he was stopped short. UCLA was flagged for a facemask, giving the Ducks another shot, and this time they went to Jordan Davison, who was also stuffed.
Even so, Thomas’ late push gives Oregon a different kind of uncertainty heading into Nebraska. If Dante Moore is not fully recovered from the concussion he suffered against USC, Thomas appears to have the inside track for the start against the Huskers.
That creates a strange twist for Nebraska. Raiola imploding in ugly fashion means Lincoln may be spared the sight of its former quarterback carving up the defense and leaving with a win. But Thomas comes with a different challenge: he is a senior who has spent all four years of his college career learning Oregon’s offense and building chemistry with his teammates.
Nebraska also knows Raiola well enough to understand his weaknesses and should know where to attack him if he’s on the field. Add in the extra juice from wanting to beat the quarterback who said his new team was obviously better than his old one this offseason, and there’s no shortage of fuel for the Blackshirts.
After a heartbreaking loss to the defending national champion, Nebraska’s next game already carried plenty of weight. Raiola’s meltdown has now added another layer to it.
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