Dylan Raiola’s move out of Nebraska is still echoing in Lincoln, and the latest reminder comes with an uncomfortable twist for Huskers fans: his departure has helped lift Oregon to the top of CBS Sports’ quarterback-room rankings.
That ranking, written by analyst Blake Brockermeyer, puts the Ducks at No. 1, with Dante Moore leading the way. Brockermeyer made it clear why Moore sits atop the list.
“Dante Moore is my top-ranked QB entering the season, and it is still baffling that he turned down life-changing money to return to Oregon. More power to him,” Brockermeyer wrote.
Oregon’s depth chart is what pushes the group over the top, though, and Raiola is a big part of that equation. Brockermeyer pointed to the Ducks’ habit of stacking experienced backups behind the starter, and Raiola now fits that mold after starting the last few seasons for Nebraska.
“The Ducks have also done a strong job over the last few seasons of adding capable backup quarterbacks with starting experience as insurance. Dylan Raiola is now the next man up after starting the last few seasons for Nebraska, giving Oregon one of the rare quarterback rooms with both high-end talent and real experience behind the starter. Moore resurrected his career by transferring to Oregon and learning behind Dillon Gabriel for a year, and Raiola is going to replicate that come 2027.”
The numbers Brockermeyer cited help explain why Oregon sits alone at the top. He wrote that the Ducks’ quarterbacks enter the season with 42 combined starts on a roster he called his favorite to win the national title.
“Oregon's quarterbacks enter the season with 42 combined starts on a loaded roster that looks like my favorite to win the national title. In today's college football, that kind of quarterback depth is almost impossible to find.”
For Nebraska, the broader takeaway is less flattering. The Huskers aren’t in CBS Sports’ top 10 quarterback rooms, even as there has been plenty of talk in Lincoln about whether they’d be better off with Anthony Colandrea for the offense Dana Holgorsen and Matt Rhule want to run. Raiola’s exit still serves as a reminder of what Nebraska lost, especially after he started two straight seasons.
The Ducks’ quarterback room now looks even stronger with Raiola in it, and that’s the latest way he has elevated an Oregon program Nebraska fans would probably rather not think about.
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