Nebraska heads to the West Coast for a late-night test against Oregon, and the setup is as tricky as it gets. The Ducks are out of the Top 25 after a second loss, but they’re still operating like a dangerous team, especially after going into USC and winning with Dylan Raiola at quarterback.
That part matters because Raiola’s last outing was the kind of game Nebraska would love to erase from the calendar. Against UCLA, he was pulled after three turnovers and just 6 completions on 19 attempts for 43 yards.
It was the worst performance of his career. If this matchup had come a week earlier, the story might have looked very different.
Instead, the Huskers get Oregon on the road, in a 10 p.m. Central kickoff that adds another layer of difficulty.
Matt Rhule called it the latest kickoff of his career. Big Ten teams have not exactly made these trips look easy, and Nebraska is walking into one of those spots where excuses won’t matter much once the ball is kicked.
Oregon is listed as a 7.5-point favorite, with the over/under at 52.5. The moneyline sits at +200 for Nebraska and -275 for Oregon.
Fox will televise the game, with kickoff set for 10 p.m. Central Time. Huskers.com will carry the radio broadcast for free.
One of the biggest wild cards is who Oregon will actually put on the field at quarterback. Dan Lanning did not say whether he was changing anything with the offensive staff this week, including who is calling plays. Will Stein has left for Kentucky after taking the head job there, adding another layer of uncertainty.
Lanning also did not name a starter at quarterback. Dante Moore’s status is still unclear, and Rhule said Nebraska is preparing for all three possibilities.
That list includes Brock Thomas and Raiola. Lanning had praise for Raiola’s response, but the Huskers still may not know exactly what they’re seeing until game time.
Neither quarterback is viewed as much of a running threat, though Moore does have some mobility. If the injury report gives any hint on Moore, that will answer at least part of the puzzle.
Otherwise, Oregon could make Nebraska sort it out on the fly, and both quarterbacks could even end up playing.
There is also a ground-game angle here, and Nebraska has been the more effective rushing team. Oregon’s run game has been solid in Big Ten play, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt, but the Ducks do not have a quarterback who changes the math with his legs.
Nebraska ranks third in rushing yards and fifth in rushing yards allowed, piling up 213 rushing yards per game while giving up 94, or 3.2 per carry. That defensive improvement has been one of the clearest signs of progress.
Colandrea has been a major reason Nebraska’s run game has worked as well as it has. Even so, the backs still managed 73 yards on 19 carries against Indiana’s defense, which is a strong unit.
That points to real chances for production on the ground in this one. If Oregon is limited at quarterback, the Ducks’ offense could have a harder time leaning on the run game the way it would like.
And then there’s Rhule’s road record, which is part of the backdrop whether Nebraska likes it or not. The Huskers have had issues in November under Rhule, and they have also struggled away from home. The only road win Rhule has had against a team with a winning record came against 4-1 Maryland last season.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Put Dylan Raiola Back In Nebraskas Spotlight
Dylan Raiola is back in the spotlight in a way Nebraska fans know all too well, only this time the conversation is coming from Oregon. After the Ducks loss to UCLA, coach Dan Lanning said Raiola will be part of a quarterback competition with Brock Thomas while Dante Moore works his way back from a concussion, giving the former Husker target another public moment in a crowded race. Lanning also singled out Raiolas composure after being pulled from the game, a small but notable nod for a quarterback whose name still carries plenty of weight in Lincoln.
For Nebraska, any update involving Raiola tends to ripple beyond Eugene because his path has remained such a point of curiosity for the fan base. Lannings comments added a little more texture to where things stand, especially with Oregons offense searching for steadier footing and changes reportedly coming in team operations. The details of those changes were left unsaid, but Raiolas presence in the mix was clear enough to make this one worth keeping an eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Halloween Stunner Sparked Doubts Fans Couldnt Ignore
Halloween night in Lincoln delivered a jolt Nebraska fans did not see coming, as the seventh-ranked Cornhuskers were stunned at home by unranked Texas, 20-16. The loss snapped a 47-game home winning streak and came despite another outing that had Nebraska leaning on Eric Crouch, with Texas getting major days from Major Applewhite and Ricky Williams.
For a program that had treated Memorial Stadium like a fortress, the defeat carried an extra layer of sting because it was the first home loss to an unranked opponent since 1978. Nebraska slid to 14th in the Associated Press poll afterward, and the result left plenty of doubt around a team that had entered the night expected to protect its place among the nation's elite. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Showed Real Progress In A Loss Fans Know Too Well
Anthony Colandrea gave Nebraska a jolt in the fourth quarter against Indiana with a 39-yard touchdown run that pushed the Cornhuskers ahead 17-6. For a team still searching for the kind of performance that can reset expectations, it felt like the sort of moment fans had been waiting to see, especially with Nebraska showing a level of competitiveness that made the game feel different for a while.
Indiana answered with two long touchdown receptions by Nick Marsh to turn the night around and escape with a 20-17 win, the kind of finish Nebraska supporters know too well. Even in defeat, though, there was a real sense of progress in how the Cornhuskers competed, and enough promise to leave fans thinking this team may be moving toward something better. [Read more 🡒]