Oregon’s season may now hinge on Dylan Raiola.
That’s where the Ducks landed after Dante Moore was taken out in the second quarter against USC on Saturday night, following a heavy hit by USC defensive back Desman Stephens II. Moore was placed on a stretcher, loaded into an ambulance and taken to LA General Hospital.
Before that moment, Moore’s decision to return for another season had been a huge boost for Oregon. It gave Dan Lanning’s team a real shot at chasing a National Championship, and it also meant the Ducks didn’t have to scramble for someone to take over the starting job.
Even so, Oregon added an experienced starter behind him, and that move suddenly looks enormous. Raiola had hoped to follow Moore’s path by spending a season developing as a backup, with meaningful snaps only likely to come in an emergency. That emergency arrived on Saturday night.
Now Raiola is in the center of everything.
The Ducks came into the year with championship expectations, and losing Moore would knock most teams off course. Oregon still has to absorb the loss of a quarterback who was viewed as a potential 1st round pick, but the presence of Raiola gives them a fighting chance to keep rolling.
Raiola brings two years of starting experience to the offense, along with the pedigree of a former 5-star recruit. He has shown plenty at times, but consistency has been the issue.
Oregon’s setup should make life easier on him than the one he had at Nebraska. Dan Lanning doesn’t need him to carry the entire load.
That matters. The Ducks have enough elite playmakers around him that Raiola can function more like a point guard than someone forced to chase big plays on every snap. If he does that, there’s a path for this offense to keep humming.
He gave Oregon reason to believe in the first half against USC. Raiola finished the half 6 of 8 for 63 yards and a touchdown, and he also hit Jamari Johnson on a deep ball that would have been a beauty if not for a holding call wiping it away. He didn’t look overwhelmed by the moment, and he helped send Oregon into halftime with the lead.
How long Moore is out remains unknown. For now, Raiola is the one who will decide how far Oregon can go.
In Other News...
Nebraska Just Won A Recruiting Battle Fans Had Reason To Fear
Corey Hadley Jr. gave Nebraska a needed bit of stability this week by reaffirming his commitment to the Cornhuskers despite the pull of Georgia. The defensive back from Tyrone, Georgia, has been pledged to Nebraska since April, and as one of the top safeties in the 2027 class, he remains a notable piece in the Huskers long-term defensive plans.
Hadleys decision not to take a second visit to Georgia came after discussions with his family, a development Nebraska fans had reason to watch closely given the schools involved. For a program still building out its 2027 defensive backfield class, keeping a prospect of Hadleys caliber in the fold is the kind of recruiting win that can matter well beyond the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Fans Face A Tough Memorial Stadium Ticket Reality
The next couple of football seasons at Memorial Stadium are going to ask Nebraska fans to do something many of them have not had to think about in years: pick new seats. As part of the University of Nebraskas $600 million renovation project, season ticketholders will be required to select fresh locations for the 2027 and 2028 seasons while the stadium is being reworked ahead of a planned completion before 2028.
For a fan base that has built its game-day routine around familiar rows and sightlines, the change adds an uncomfortable layer to an already massive construction effort. The project also includes moving the Holland Computing Center and making do with temporary concessions arrangements during the rebuild, reminders that this is not just a facelift but a full-scale reset of the stadium experience. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Fans Have Plenty To Celebrate And One New Worry
Nebraska opened Big Ten play with the kind of complete performance fans have been waiting for, rolling past Michigan State 31-13 to move to 4-0. Anthony Colandrea did plenty to keep the offense on schedule, throwing for 212 yards and adding 66 more on the ground, while the defense kept the Spartans under pressure and came away with three turnovers to help tilt the game early.
The win only sharpened the sense that Nebraska may have something real building, but it also came with a concern the Cornhuskers will have to sort through quickly. Running back Jamal Rule was injured in the first quarter and did not return, leaving a noticeable question mark in a game otherwise full of encouraging signs for a team that has started to look more and more like a factor in the conference race. [Read more 🡒]