The Oregon Ducks were already in trouble when Dan Lanning made the move that changed the look of the offense entirely. Trailing No. 21 UCLA 17-9 in the fourth quarter, Oregon turned from Dylan Raiola to Brock Thomas at quarterback as the Ducks searched for anything that could spark a stalled attack.
Raiola got the start because Dante Moore did not dress after suffering a concussion against USC, but the night quickly went sideways. Through his time under center, Raiola went 6 of 19 for 43 yards with two interceptions and also lost a fumble. Oregon’s other ball security issues piled up around him, with Evan Stewart and Jordon Davison each losing a fumble as well, leaving the Ducks with six turnovers against the Bruins.
Thomas’ first drive didn’t provide the reset Oregon wanted. On fourth down, he fumbled the snap under center from Iapani Laloulu, which became the Ducks’ sixth turnover of the game.
Oregon had found a little life with Dierre Hill Jr. after Davison left with an injury in the fourth quarter, though Davison later returned. Thomas’ series ended up as Oregon’s longest drive of the game at six plays.
The Ducks did at least get one touchdown, and it came in unusual fashion when UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava coughed up the ball at the goal line. After that, Thomas bobbled his first snap on his second drive, and the offensive issues kept coming.
There was one bright moment. Thomas found Dakorien Moore for a 36-yard gain, and a roughing the passer penalty moved Oregon to the 10-yard line. Even then, the Ducks had to settle for a field goal, trimming UCLA’s lead to 17-9.
By that point, Oregon had punted six times - the same number of points the offense had managed through the first three quarters.
The contrast with Raiola’s previous outing against USC was stark. Against the Trojans, he completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns and helped deliver a win that gave Oregon confidence.
Against UCLA, none of that carried over. The Nebraska transfer never settled in.
With Moore’s status still unclear, Oregon’s quarterback picture now feels even murkier heading into Saturday, Oct. 17 against Nebraska. Lanning has not given a timetable for Moore’s return, though he did practice during the week before the UCLA game.
In Other News...
Oregon Win Now Comes With A Big Ten Question For Bear Alexander
Oregons win over UCLA is already producing a bigger aftershock than the final score, because a viral clip from the game has put defensive tackle Bear Alexander in the middle of a possible Big Ten review. The video appears to show Alexander striking Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava during a tackle, and Iamaleava later left with a lower body injury, leaving the play under fresh scrutiny as the conference weighs its next step.
The Big Ten has a sportsmanship policy that can allow for discipline in cases like this, and Oregon is waiting to see whether the league decides to act. The situation also lands in a sensitive spot for Dan Lanning, who recently condemned a similar incident involving another player, making the conferences response to Alexanders case the next development that could shape how the aftermath of the game is remembered. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Heads To Nebraska With A Quarterback Problem And Bigger Questions
The late push from Brock Thomas gave Oregon something to hang onto after a 17-15 loss to No. 21 UCLA, but it also left the Ducks with a familiar kind of uncertainty as they head to Nebraska. Thomas stepped in for starter Dylan Raiola in the fourth quarter and helped lead scoring drives, yet the bigger picture was hard to ignore: turnovers, penalties and offensive line problems kept the offense from ever finding a steady rhythm, even as the defense did enough to keep the game within reach.
Now the attention shifts to the quarterback picture, and it is not getting any clearer. Oregon could also be waiting on the possible return of Dante Moore from injury, which only adds another layer to a situation already made messy by the loss to UCLA. The Ducks leave with a hard-earned defensive performance to build on, but with the offense still searching for answers, the trip to Nebraska feels like a test of both depth and direction. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Is Suddenly Facing A Brutal Dylan Raiola Question
With Dante Moore unavailable against UCLA, Oregon had to lean on Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola to keep the offense on track, and the first half made the Ducks quarterback situation feel a lot more fragile than they would have liked. Raiola was asked to manage the game and move the ball, but the opening stretch was uneven, with incompletions piling up and a costly fumble helping UCLA build a 10-6 lead.
The Ducks defense had its moments, but it was hard to ignore how much the afternoon depended on Raiola settling in and finding some rhythm through the air. For Oregon, the concern was not just one shaky half, but the broader question of whether the offense could function the way it needed to if Moore remained out and Raiola had to carry that burden. [Read more 🡒]