Dylan Raiola spent most of the night watching Oregon’s offense sputter, then stepped in and flipped the game on its head.
That was enough to make him Ducks Wire Player of the Game in Oregon’s 17-14 win over Nebraska, a result that looked a lot different before the fourth quarter began. The Ducks had Brock Thomas under center to open Week 7, and the choice made sense after his rough outing against UCLA the week before had raised plenty of concern around a 3-2 team that badly needed a win.
Thomas couldn’t find any rhythm against Nebraska. He finished 9-of-20 for 54 yards and threw an interception before Raiola replaced him to start the final quarter.
From there, the game changed fast.
Raiola completed 11-of-18 passes for 59 yards in the fourth quarter alone and guided two scoring drives. The first ended with a field goal that cut Nebraska’s lead to 14-9. The second was the one that settled everything: a game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Jamari Johnson from four yards out, finishing a 20-play, 82-yard march that left Nebraska with just 28 seconds remaining.
It was a full-circle kind of night for Raiola, who was facing the team he started his career with after arriving as a five-star recruit and spending the better part of two seasons as the starter. He didn’t begin the game in that role, but he finished it as the player who saved Oregon from a 3-3 record.
The Ducks got strong nights from several defenders as well. Edge rusher Teitum Tuioti posted five tackles and two sacks, defensive tackle Bear Alexander had seven tackles, and cornerback Ify Obidegwu added three tackles and an interception.
Even so, Raiola’s entrance was the turning point. Without that late spark, Oregon likely walks out of this one with a loss. Instead, Raiola delivered the comeback and the headline.
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Oregons Comeback Was Fueled By Unsung Ducks Fans Cant Ignore
Nebraska had the early edge, but Oregon steadied itself and turned the game with a quarterback change that put Dylan Raiola in position to spark the comeback. Even before the offense found its rhythm, the Ducks defense kept the margin within reach, and that mattered just as much as the late surge. It was the kind of win that looked messy for stretches and still ended with Oregon in control, thanks to a roster that kept making plays when the pressure built.
Hudson Lewis, Jalen Lott, Brandon Smith and kicker Gage Hurych all had a hand in finishing the job, and defensive coordinator Chris Hampton drew credit for the way Oregon handled things on that side of the ball. For a team that had to work through an uneven start, the breadth of the contribution stood out as much as the comeback itself. The Ducks didnt just survive the slow beginning, they leaned on unsung pieces to pull away when the game demanded it. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Late Quarterback Switch Changed Everything Against Nebraska
A late quarterback change ended up reshaping Oregons win over Nebraska, with Dylan Raiola coming off the bench in the fourth quarter and helping the Ducks rally from behind. He finished the comeback with a touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson and then helped Oregon punch in the two-point conversion with less than 30 seconds left, turning what had been a tight, tense finish into a 17-14 victory.
For Oregon, the sequence only added to the sense that this team can survive pressure in different ways, even when the script changes late. Dan Lanning praised Raiolas courage and the Ducks overall performance, while Nebraska coach Matt Rhule pointed to the effort his team gave despite the loss, a reminder of how little margin there was throughout the night. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Fans Have One Big AP Poll Debate After Costly Loss
The AP Top 25 is set for a shakeup after a wild Saturday that saw five teams in the top seven go down, and that kind of chaos always has ripple effects far beyond the teams that actually lost. For Oregon, the timing matters because the Ducks are part of the group whose position could be affected by all the movement above them, with the poll likely to look very different once the latest ballots are counted.
Indianas loss grabbed plenty of attention, but the broader debate now is how voters sort through the wreckage when so many contenders stumbled at once. BYU and Oregon are among the teams watching closely as the rankings sort themselves out, and the next poll should offer a much clearer picture of who benefited most from the days upheaval. [Read more 🡒]