The Oregon Ducks head into Saturday’s matchup with UCLA carrying both momentum and a few significant absences, and the biggest storyline is still the same one that has hovered over the week: Dante Moore remains in concussion protocol.
That leaves Dylan Raiola to handle quarterback duties for the No. 13 Ducks in what will be their first full game without Moore after the hit he took in the second quarter of Oregon’s 41-27 win over USC on Sept.
- Oregon has already stacked up five straight wins against the Bruins, and a sixth would add another quality line to a résumé that already includes victories over No.
23 Boise State and No. 19 USC.
Friday’s Big Ten availability report brought one change from Thursday, with Aaron Flowers now listed as out after previously being considered doubtful. Outside of Moore, Oregon still has several offensive pieces unavailable, including wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan. The sophomore has not played since the Ducks’ 84-0 win over Portland State on Sept. 18 because of a broken foot.
With McClellan sidelined, others in Oregon’s receiver room have had to pick up the slack. Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart have been the most notable answers, while freshman Messiah Hampton has carved out a bigger role. Through four games, Hampton has 14 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Oregon enters the game as a 10.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, but UCLA’s record suggests this won’t be a team anyone can dismiss. The Bruins are undefeated, and their turnaround under first-year coach Bob Chesney has been one of the early surprises of the season after they went 3-9 a year ago.
Every one of UCLA’s four wins has come by double digits, and the numbers point to a game that could stay tight even if Oregon finds a way to win. Nico Iamaleava and former JMU running back Wayne Knight give the Bruins enough firepower to test the Ducks’ defense, and the over/under sits at 58.5 points.
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT Saturday at Autzen Stadium, with CBS carrying the broadcast.
In Other News...
Oregon Suddenly Brings Real Uncertainty Into UCLA Matchup
Oregons first injury report ahead of its matchup with UCLA immediately changed the feel of this game week. The Ducks listed quarterback Dante Moore as officially out, and the report also included a cluster of other names on the unavailable or doubtful side, with receiver Jeremiah McClellan, running back Simeon Price, linebacker Brayden Platt, offensive lineman Trent Ferguson and defensive backs Aaron Scott Jr. and Aaron Flowers all appearing on the list.
For UCLA, the bigger takeaway is that Oregons depth chart picture is suddenly far less settled than it looked a few days ago. Receiver Jalen Lott has been removed from the injury report and may be available, but the uncertainty in the secondary and at quarterback gives the Bruins a different kind of preparation problem as they sort through what Oregon can actually put on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Raiola Just Showed Why Oregons QB Battle Feels Different
Dylan Raiola arrived at Oregon as a transfer quarterback, but the bigger impression so far has been the one hes made talking about Dante Moore. Raiola described a bond that reaches past football and said the respect between them has grown naturally inside a quarterback room shaped by Dan Lannings culture of connection, growth, toughness and sacrifice. For a team trying to build something in Eugene, that kind of relationship matters just as much as arm talent.
It also speaks to why Oregons quarterback situation feels different from the usual high-stress competition. Raiola made it clear the atmosphere around the room has been supportive and grounded, with teammates pushing each other without losing sight of the person underneath the position. In a sport where the backup plan is rarely simple, the Ducks appear to have built a setting where the quarterbacks can compete and care about each other at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Unbeaten Start Faces Its First Real Test Saturday
UCLAs trip to Oregon arrives with the kind of questions that usually get sorted out only after kickoff, because the Bruins have already shown enough early-season stability to stay in the national conversation. Now they draw a Ducks team that sits one spot ahead of them in the rankings and has the sort of physical defense that can expose any offense still searching for clean answers. For a UCLA team trying to measure itself against the top of the Big Ten race, this is the sort of game that quickly tells you whether the opening month was real progress or just a useful warmup.
The matchup also has a personnel wrinkle that adds another layer of uncertainty, with Oregon turning to Dylan Raiola for his first start in place of the injured Dante Moore. That alone would be worth watching, but the bigger issue for UCLA is how well it can handle Oregons front seven and keep its own ground game from getting swallowed up. If the Bruins can run the ball with some consistency, theyll have a chance to make this look like a true top-25 battle rather than a proving-ground road test. [Read more 🡒]