EUGENE - Oregon’s playoff hopes got a much-needed lift Saturday in a game that was ugly almost everywhere except the final few minutes.
The Ducks spent most of the afternoon grinding through an offense that never really found its footing, then flipped the script in the fourth quarter behind Dylan Raiola and escaped with a 17-14 comeback win over Nebraska.
Raiola, who had been benched in last week’s loss to UCLA, entered in the fourth quarter and delivered the kind of finishing drive Oregon needed. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 59 yards and tossed the winning touchdown to tight end Jamari Johnson in the back of the end zone with 28 seconds left. Oregon then converted a pass to Hudson Lewis for two points to stretch the margin to three.
“None of it was necessarily pretty,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “It was a gritty, ugly win in a lot of ways against a really tough opponent that had a lot of success this season for a reason.”
Raiola’s own assessment was just as direct.
“We just rallied around each other,” Raiola said. “When you find your connection that tight, it turns into a victory. This is one we have to keep building on.”
The result pushed unranked Oregon to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, and it came at a moment when the rest of the sport seemed to be turning upside down. No.
7 Texas and No. 6 Alabama both lost, and No.
4 Ohio State’s Julian Sayin went down with an injury in a 19-15 win over No. 5 Indiana.
Sayin left in the fourth quarter and came back with his right-throwing arm in a sling, and he is expected to miss a few weeks. That could put him out for Oregon’s trip to Ohio State on Nov.
“The sky is the limit for us,” wide receiver Dakorien Moore said.
That suddenly gives the Ducks a path that looked much harder when they trailed Nebraska 14-6 after three quarters. Oregon will go to Illinois next week before coming home to face No. 25 Northwestern the following week.
Lanning rode with Brock Thomas for three quarters, and the offense paid for it. Thomas finished with 54 passing yards on 9-of-20 throwing and an interception. Oregon’s passing game remained stuck until Raiola entered and changed the feel of the offense almost immediately.
The shift was clear. With Raiola at quarterback, Oregon opened up the field, the run game loosened, and Nebraska had to respect the possibility of a deeper strike. The Ducks rushed for 92 yards in the fourth quarter alone and finished with 129 on the ground.
Raiola’s final drive showed the version of him Oregon wanted all along. It covered 82 yards in 20 plays and ended with the touchdown to Johnson.
The earlier answer from Oregon had come in the form of defense. For the second straight week, the Ducks leaned on that side of the ball while the offense sputtered.
“Back-to-back weeks where I thought the defense really showed up,” Lanning said.
Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea finished 18 of 33 for 164 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and also ran for 38 yards and a score. Still, Nebraska had to fight for every yard against an Oregon defense that held firm even while spending nearly 19 minutes on the field in the first half.
“Overall, we played hard and I’m proud of the guys for doing their job and doing it at a high level,” said linebacker Teitum Tuioti, who had two sacks.
Oregon’s first big step toward the finish came on a 69-yard march in 17 plays, capped by Gage Hurych’s 37-yard field goal to trim Nebraska’s lead to 14-9 with 7:18 left. Then came the last drive, the one that turned a messy afternoon into a win.
The Ducks have already lived through plenty of swings this season, with two upset losses and two improbable victories. That kind of year doesn’t offer much comfort, but it does leave room for survival.
If Dante Moore returns from concussion protocol, Oregon could have another layer of stability. Until then, the Ducks may have to keep winning the hard way.
“There’s a lot of things to fix, and we’re going to fix them,” Lanning said.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Changed Oregons Biggest Nebraska Game Storyline
After a strong showing against USC, Dylan Raiola had a chance to settle in as Oregons quarterback of the moment, but the rhythm did not carry over into the next game against UCLA. The Ducks have now made a change under center, with Dan Lanning opting to go with Brock Thomas for the upcoming matchup against Nebraska. It is a significant turn for an offense that had been trying to build momentum heading into one of the more interesting games on the schedule.
Lanning pointed to Raiolas recent performance and the adjustments Oregon has made on offense as the reasons for the switch, putting the focus on stability rather than sentiment. For Raiola, the timing is especially notable because the Nebraska game had the feel of a personal one, given his connection to the Cornhuskers. Instead, Oregon heads into it with a different quarterback plan and a storyline that looks very different from what it did just a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Commit Brayton Feister Is Back On The Field Amid Dispute
Brayton Feister is back on the field at Massillon Washington High School after a ruling from the Fifth District Court of Appeals cleared the Oregon commit and his brother Brydon to continue playing their senior season. The decision overturned an earlier Ohio High School Athletic Association ruling that had declared both brothers ineligible, and it gives them the chance to keep contributing while the legal process plays out.
The Feisters had been sidelined after the OHSAA cited transfer and disciplinary issues, turning their season into as much a courtroom matter as a football one. The appeals court granted a preliminary permanent injunction, and while the association could still pursue further legal action, the immediate effect is straightforward for Oregon: one of its commits is back on the field, and the situation remains unresolved beyond that. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Trip To Ohio State Suddenly Looks Very Different
Ohio States quarterback picture changed quickly this week when coach Ryan Day said Julian Sayin is expected to be out for several weeks after suffering an injury. The Buckeyes are now likely to turn to freshman Luke Fahey for the upcoming stretch, including the game against Oregon, which adds a new wrinkle to a matchup that already had plenty of intrigue.
Oregons own quarterback situation remains unsettled, with Dante Moore, Brock Thomas or Dylan Raiola all possibilities depending on how things shake out. So instead of a familiar heavyweight showdown between established starters, the Ducks could find themselves preparing for a far less predictable test on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]