Oregon’s quarterback situation drew plenty of eyes in Eugene, and for good reason. Through a rough first half against Nebraska, the Ducks couldn’t get their offense moving, and the conversation around Dylan Raiola only got louder.
Oregon went into halftime trailing 7-0 after managing just 50 total yards on offense. The Ducks were better at protecting the football than they had been a week earlier against UCLA, but the production still wasn’t there. They came away with only two first downs and went 0-for-7 on third down.
That lack of progress came after the offensive mess against the No. 12 Bruins, when Raiola started at quarterback, threw two interceptions and the offense also coughed it up five times on the ground for a total of seven turnovers. Coach Dan Lanning was asked after that game whether he should have gone to Brock Thomas sooner, and he didn’t shy away from the question.
"I mean, the question was that to me: Why not make the change sooner after the game? I think that's fair,” Lanning said on Monday
“On the same note, I feel like some of those positions we put them in weren't successful opportunities as well," he added. "I think we made some adjustments in having getting the ball out a little bit quicker, creating some more open pictures that allowed Brock to do that.”
That made Thomas’ start against Nebraska worth watching from the opening snap. But he didn’t exactly settle things down.
In the first half, he completed six of 15 passes for 30 yards, and Oregon’s offense still stalled out badly. Bailey Ettridge wound up punting seven times before halftime, a clear sign of how little rhythm the Ducks found.
The one real chance to flip the field came after the defense delivered. Ify Obidegwu intercepted the ball at the Nebraska 14, putting Oregon in the red zone for the only time in the first half. But the Ducks immediately fumbled and handed it right back.
With Dante Moore still out after the concussion he suffered in Week 4 against USC, Oregon’s depth chart at quarterback remained a major storyline. Raiola and second-year quarterback Akili Smith Jr. were the other options available behind Thomas as the game moved deeper.
Thomas stayed in to open the second half, though Raiola was seen warming up on the sideline. Oregon did get field goals on its first two possessions after the break, but the student section at Autzen Stadium kept chanting for Raiola anyway.
Raiola is the most experienced of Oregon’s three backup quarterbacks, and he entered 2026 having completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 456 yards and five touchdowns. He also knows Nebraska well after transferring from the Big Ten program in the offseason.
Across two seasons with the Cornhuskers, Raiola threw for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns. And while his performance against UCLA raised obvious concerns, he had already shown he could come off the bench and help Oregon, leading the Ducks to a win over USC in a top-25 matchup.
That left Lanning with a decision at halftime against Nebraska: stick with Thomas, give Raiola another shot, or turn to Smith. Smith’s only college game action before that came late against FCS Portland State on Sept. 18, when he went 2-for-4 for 31 yards and added two carries for seven yards.
Lanning had pointed to Smith’s tools earlier in the week, saying, “Akili’s done a really good job, and he's probably the one that's the most different from a package standpoint and things that you can carry and do different with Akili,” Lanning said. “But he has a really strong arm, been able to connect vertically on shots.
Obviously, his feet become a weapon, right, and are a real tool for us as well. But yeah, he's done a really good job.”
Smith didn’t get the call to start the second half against Nebraska, but with Oregon still searching for answers on offense, that door didn’t look closed.
In Other News...
Oregons New Five-Star Commit Is Buying Into One Big Defensive Vision
Rashad Streets is still early in his path, but the five-star edge rusher from Raleigh, North Carolina, already sounds like a player who understands why Oregon has become such an attractive landing spot for elite defenders. The 2027 commit spent time at Autzen Stadium recently, where he connected with Dan Lanning and defensive coordinator Chris Hampton and spent part of the visit talking through how he could fit into the Ducks scheme.
What stands out for Oregon is how Streets' speed and bend line up with the Wide-9 style the Ducks want from the edge. He is expected to add bulk over time, but the framework is already there for him to grow into a role similar to what current edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti provide. For a program that keeps selling disruption up front, Streets looks like another piece who sees the same big-picture defensive vision. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Faces A Precarious Oregon Test With QB Uncertainty On Both Sides
The buildup to Oregons Week 8 matchup with Illinois has taken on an unusual wrinkle, with both programs entering the game uncertain at quarterback. Bret Bielema said Illinois has had to prepare for multiple Oregon options because of the Ducks injury situation, and that kind of uncertainty can change a game plan quickly this late in the season. For Oregon, the focus is on Dante Moore, who is recovering from a concussion and could be back in time to face the Illini.
Illinois has its own quarterback concern to manage, with Katin Houser expected to miss several weeks after a hand procedure. That leaves both staffs trying to balance preparation with unknowns, a tricky spot in any Big Ten matchup and especially one involving a team as deep and dynamic as Oregon. For the Ducks, it adds another layer to a game that was already shaping up as a test of flexibility before the ball is even snapped. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Gave Nebraska Fans A Reason To Believe
Nebraskas narrow loss to Oregon still looks better with each passing week, and the timing of the bye gives the Cornhuskers a chance to catch their breath at 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten. They have already shown they can hang with one of the leagues top teams, and the way the conference has churned since then has only sharpened the sense that Nebraska is not far off from being a real factor in the race.
Ohio States 19-15 win over Indiana did more than snap the Hoosiers 22-game winning streak, it also came with the kind of quarterback setback that can change a seasons outlook in a hurry. With Julian Sayin expected to miss multiple weeks, the door is at least cracked open for opponents still waiting to see what the Buckeyes look like without him, and Nebraskas path through the rest of the schedule just got a little more interesting. [Read more 🡒]