Dylan Raiola is headed into another big opportunity for Oregon, and this one comes with a different kind of backdrop. The Ducks’ quarterback has already given them two jolt-the-building moments off the bench, and after adjusting the way he prepared, he believes that change has helped him settle in as a starter ahead of Saturday’s Big Ten road game at Illinois.
That confidence matters because Oregon is again dealing with a messy quarterback situation. Dante Moore remains out after suffering a concussion against USC on Sept. 26, leaving him sidelined for a second straight full game. Raiola has stepped in at different points and shown both ends of the spectrum: calm and clutch in some spots, shaky in another.
He was composed when Moore was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and helped Oregon push past USC. He also delivered the winning touchdown throw after replacing Brock Thomas in the fourth quarter of a 17-14 victory against his former team, Nebraska. But his first start for Oregon didn’t go nearly as smoothly, as UCLA got the better of him before Thomas entered and sparked a late comeback attempt in a 17-15 loss at Autzen Stadium.
After that UCLA game, Raiola went back through the week leading into it and made changes to how he prepared. His own words made clear what he was trying to fix.
“Obviously, that’s in the past. But I did go back and look through that week of preparation that I had, and I kind of tweaked some things in my routine, and I think that made a big adjustment in how I was able to play free, play clean.”
“So making those tweaks give me a lot of confidence going forward. I’m not going to dwell from that experience.
I’m going to learn from it. My team has my back, and I got theirs.”
That “big adjustment” is now about to be tested in Champaign, and Oregon is walking in short-handed at receiver. The Ducks have ruled out Evan Stewart, Jeremiah McClellan, Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton. Stewart and McClellan were already out last week against Nebraska, while Lott and Hampton were added to the availability report Friday night before the Illinois game.
That puts even more on the shoulders of the pieces still available. Dakorien Moore has been Oregon’s most productive receiver with 25 catches for 347 yards and four touchdowns, while tight end Jamari Johnson has added 17 receptions for 224 yards and two scores. Beyond them, the production has been thin: Iverson Hooks has one catch for six yards, Gatlin Bair has three catches for 25 yards and Hudson Lewis has three catches for 23 yards.
The injury list doesn’t stop there. Oregon will also be without offensive linemen Trent Ferguson, Kawika Rogers and Immanuel Iheanacho, which makes the Ducks’ running game even more important. Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. are expected to carry that load.
Saturday also gives Raiola another crack at a familiar opponent. His first Big Ten game came against Illinois on Sept. 20, 2024, when he was a true freshman at Nebraska. He put up big numbers then, completing 24 of 35 passes for 297 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, but Nebraska still fell 31-24 in overtime.
That night in Lincoln had the kind of atmosphere players remember. Nebraska was celebrating its 400th consecutive sellout, and 86,936 fans packed in for a Friday night game between two unbeaten, nationally ranked teams.
Raiola’s third touchdown pass put the Cornhuskers up 24-17 early in the fourth quarter, but the game slipped away late. After the score was tied in regulation, he missed Luke Lindenmeyer in the end zone, Nebraska missed the next field goal, and Illinois finished the job in overtime.
“I missed the throw to win the game. I mean that was our chance to win the game,” Raiola said after that loss.
Now he gets a chance to face the Fighting Illini again, this time with a 4-2 Oregon team trying to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Ducks also bring a strong road resume into the matchup, sitting 10-0 in Big Ten road games and owning the nation’s best road winning percentage since 2023 at 15-2. It’s Oregon’s first trip to Champaign since 1993, when the Ducks beat Illinois 13-7.
Dan Lanning made it clear this isn’t the kind of opponent Oregon can afford to overlook.
“Coach (Bret) Bielema always does a phenomenal job. They’ve obviously had this previous week to really prepare for us and get healthy. So, I know they’ve been looking at us for a bit, and you feel like you’re behind a little bit when you start looking at a team like Illinois and the skill set that they have," Lanning said.
Illinois may have quarterback issues of its own. Katin Houser is expected to miss the game after injuring his hand in a 38-37 overtime win at Michigan State on Oct. 10, which leaves freshman Michael Clayton II in line for his first collegiate start after he came in against the Spartans and threw for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
Kickoff at Gies Memorial Stadium is set for 12 p.m. PT, with the game airing on the Big Ten Network. Fans attending are encouraged to wear yellow.
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