Oregon’s depth chart got thinner in a hurry ahead of Saturday night’s matchup with Nebraska, and the biggest hit is at wide receiver. The official availability report confirmed that Evan Stewart will not play, leaving the Ducks even more short-handed on the perimeter with Jeremiah McClellan already sidelined by a broken foot.
That puts more on Dakorien Moore, who now steps into the featured role for quarterback Brock Thomas, according to the report. Thomas is reportedly set to start over quarterback Dylan Raiola as Oregon tries to steady an offense that has already been through plenty of upheaval.
The Ducks enter at 3-2 after losses to UCLA and Oklahoma State, and another defeat against Nebraska would effectively knock them out of College Football Playoff contention. Oregon’s starting quarterback Dante Moore has not played since suffering a concussion in the win over USC, an injury that sent him to the hospital before he traveled back to Eugene with the team.
Raiola entered in relief of Moore against USC and helped Oregon beat the Trojans, but his outing against UCLA went in a different direction. He was benched for Thomas in the fourth quarter, and now the former third-string quarterback is expected to be pushed into the starting job against the Cornhuskers.
The Ducks’ availability list also includes Jeremiah McClellan, Dante Moore, Aaron Flowers, Simeon Price, Brayden Platt, Trent Ferguson, Jamir Conn, Rex Guthrie, Larry Miles, Kahmir Prescott, Riley Van Poppel, Jase Reynolds, Jacob Bower and Gabe Moore.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning also acknowledged that changes are coming on offense after the loss to UCLA, though he didn’t spell out what those adjustments will look like.
“Everything's being evaluated. I wouldn't reveal anything that we would do different.
Doesn't give us any advantage from that standpoint. But there's a lot of pieces.
It's really easy to point in one spot. I'd say that.
I wear it, right," said Lanning.
“Our whole staff wears it. Our whole team wears it.
Every one of us has opportunities to improve. But yeah, there's going to be some changes.
There's going to be some differences in in the way that we operate and what we do, and there already is, and the way we've operated this week. But as far as revealing like how we'll do that, what things will look like, I'm not going to share that with you guys.”
Despite the uncertainty, Oregon is still favored by 6.5 points at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Ducks are listed at -250 on the moneyline, while Nebraska sits at +205. The total is 51.5 points, with a relatively low-scoring game projected at Autzen Stadium.
In Other News...
Matt Rhule Sends Clear Message After Nebraskas Painful Oregon Finish
Nebraska came up just short against Oregon, falling 17-14 in a game that turned late when junior quarterback Dylan Raiola entered in the fourth quarter and hit tight end Jamari Johnson for the winning touchdown. Afterward, Matt Rhule made it clear he was not interested in turning the loss into a referendum on his quarterback or his program, instead framing it as the kind of game that can teach a team where it still needs to grow.
Rhule pointed to fatigue and Oregons effective run game as part of the reason the Cornhuskers were unable to close it out, while also brushing aside any notion that the late kickoff was an excuse. For Nebraska, the bigger takeaway may be the standard these matchups provide, since Rhule emphasized the value of lining up against strong programs even when the result stings. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Gets A Clear Opening As Nebraska Brings Real Concerns
Nebraskas latest loss was another frustrating one in a season that keeps slipping at the edges, with the Cornhuskers falling 17-14 to Oregon after letting a fourth-quarter lead get away for the second straight game. The timing only adds to the concern, because the issues have started to look familiar: special teams havent been steady, the rushing attack has faded in recent weeks, and the injury list has made it harder to patch things together.
A bye week now gives Nebraska a little breathing room before Washington comes to Lincoln, but it also leaves a clear set of problems to sort through. The Huskies will see a team that has been competitive late into games and still found a way to lose them, which makes the next stretch feel especially important for a group trying to stop the slide and reset before the home matchup arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Defense Did Enough But One Problem Still Cost Them
Nebraska had every chance to turn a solid defensive effort into one of its biggest wins of the season, but the offense never quite matched what the defense gave it. The Cornhuskers led entering the fourth quarter and kept Oregon within reach for most of the afternoon, yet the Ducks were able to survive a tight, physical game and leave with a 17-14 victory.
The issue for Nebraska was up front, where the offensive line struggled to consistently hold up and let the game slip away despite the way the defense kept battling. Oregon got late help from Dylan Raiola, who came off the bench and sparked the comeback, leaving Nebraska to wonder how different things might have looked with even a little more protection and consistency on offense. [Read more 🡒]