Oregon’s quarterback problem is no longer just about the next snap. It’s already creeping toward 2027.
That was the heartbeat of the conversation on the Ducks Confidential podcast after Dylan Raiola’s rough relief outing in Oregon’s 17-15 loss to UCLA. Filling in for the injured Dante Moore, Raiola had the worst game of his career in a spot where the Ducks needed him to steady everything. Instead, he threw for 43 yards and two interceptions in three quarters, and the performance immediately sparked questions about what comes next for him in Eugene.
Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian/OregonLive and co-host George Wrighster didn’t dance around it.
“If Dante comes back (this season) and we don’t see Dylan in meaningful minutes from here on out, the last impression is the UCLA game,” Fentress said. “I see Dan Lanning going into the portal to at least bring in competition to go against Raiola. You’re not gonna bank on him, right?”
Wrighster didn’t soften the point either.
“We’re going into the portal for a quarterback,” said the former Oregon Ducks tight end and host of the Unafraid Show.
Moore is out for Saturday’s 8 p.m. game against Nebraska, which only sharpens the stakes for Raiola. Nebraska is the school where Raiola started for two seasons before transferring to Oregon with the idea of eventually taking over for Moore in 2027.
That path now looks shaky. Raiola still has a chance to rewrite the story, and there’s at least one obvious way to do it. If he gets the start against Nebraska and looks anything like he did in Oregon’s Sept. 26 game against USC - when he replaced Moore, who left with a concussion in the second quarter, and threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns - the conversation changes fast.
If not, Oregon may already be headed toward a portal search for a different answer.
Fentress and Wrighster both made the point that even a better stretch from Raiola may not be enough to keep the Ducks from shopping for another quarterback. The concern isn’t just 2026. It’s whether Oregon wants to gamble on 2027 with that kind of uncertainty in the room.
“If you’re Dan Lanning, is there any way that you are going into next season with Dylan Raiola competing against Akili Smith Jr., who’s clearly fourth right now for the starting quarterback job for next year?” Wrighster asked.
“No,” Fentress said. “Not with the resources you have? No way.”
The money matters here, too. Moore makes millions, and that money will be available when he leaves, giving Oregon significant resources to pursue another quarterback.
Once the conversation turned to possible targets, Wrighster wasted no time naming names. He mentioned Memphis quarterback Marcus Stokes, Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez, and Oregon State’s Braden Atkinson, who has thrown 21 touchdown passes through six games.
That last suggestion drew a strong reaction from Fentress.
“Oregon State should not be out-recruiting and out-evaluating you with all the resources you have,” Fentress said, adding that he would “absolutely clown Oregon” if the Ducks had to turn to their in-state rival to solve a roster issue.
Even with all of that, both hosts were careful to separate Raiola’s performance from the person. They said they felt for him, especially because he spoke to reporters after the game even though he didn’t have to. Fentress described that as a mature response in a bad moment.
But the roster math is still the roster math.
Wrighster said he believes Raiola could end up in the transfer portal after the season if Oregon goes out and adds another quarterback.
“I believe he’ll be in the transfer portal after the season because there’s no way that they’re going to say, ‘You’re our starter for next year and we’re not going to bring anybody else in,’” Wrighster said. “And that sucks ‘cause I’ve had a kid in the portal. I understand how it goes.”
If that happens, it would be Raiola’s second transfer, which narrows the number of elite programs likely to take the swing. The talent is there, and the USC game showed it. But the UCLA game made the future a lot less certain.
Oregon’s matchup with Nebraska is set for Saturday, Oct. 17, at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks are 3-2 and 1-1 in the Big Ten, while Nebraska comes in at 5-1 and 2-1.
Oregon is listed as a 7-point favorite. The game will air on FOX.
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