Nebraska Will See Plenty of Firepower in the October Quarterbacks it Will Face

Indiana’s Josh Hoover, Oregon’s Dante Moore (and Dylan Raiola) are on the Huskers’ October calendar

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola, at Ducks' spring game, is expected to be Dante Moore's backup. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Second of three parts

October shapes up as a juicy one for Nebraska football. And a potentially pivotal one, too.

Three of the Huskers’ four opponents are considered candidates to make the College Football Playoff. One of the quarterbacks, Oregon’s Dante Moore, is a potential Heisman Trophy candidate. Of course, Moore’s backup is Dylan Raiola, formerly of these parts.

On Tuesday, we analyzed the quarterbacks Nebraska is likely to face in September. In today’s look at the opposing quarterbacks, the stakes have grown. October is when teams move beyond the non-conference games. In this crucial month, Nebraska will play the defending national champion, a possible national champion, and two talented sophomore quarterbacks.

Maryland
Oct. 3
Memorial Stadiium
Likely starting quarterback: Malik Washington

Key stat: Last season, Washington was 27-of-37 for  249 yards and one touchdown in Maryland’s 34-31 loss at home to Nebraska. You might recall that Raiola had four touchdown passes and the Huskers rallied to outscore Maryland, 10-0, in the fourth quarter. Good times.

Maryland quarterback Malik Washington set freshman school records for passing yards and completions in 2025. | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

Fast fact: Washington set Maryland records for passing yards and completions for a freshman. He threw for 2,963 yards and 273 completions. Still, the Terps were 4-8.

Analysis: True freshmen quarterbacks who show a ton of potential can make a huge leap as sophomores. Washington threw for 17 touchdowns last season but also had nine interceptions. If he improves both of those numbers, he could take that next step in a conference where it’s not easy for such early strides. Soon, he’s going to be the reason Maryland upsets someone.

Indiana
Oct. 10
Memorial Stadium
Likely starting quarterback: Josh Hoover

Key stat: According to ESPN, Hoover is 1-5 with 13 touchdowns and 12 turnovers against ranked opponents. With a strong start, the Huskers could find themselves ranked when Indiana comes to Lincoln. Hello “College GameDay”?

Fast fact: Hoover, a redshirt senior who played four seasons at TCU, replaces Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who played two years at Cal before his 16-0, national-title season at Indiana in 2025.

Indiana's Richard Turbo (1) takes a handoff from Josh Hoover during Hoosiers' spring practice. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Analysis: Can coach Curt Cignetti’s formula work for a third consecutive year with a transfer quarterback? It’s probably impossible for Hoover to replicate Mendoza’s magic. But Cignetti, a proven talent evaluator, has quickly developed Indiana into such a powerhouse program that Hoover might not have to be Heisman-worthy for IU to have the kind of success a football school expects.

At Oregon
Oct. 17
Autzen Stadium
Likely starting quarterback: Dante Moore

Key stat: Moore, a redshirt junior, had a remarkable 163.7 quarterback rating last season in which he completed 71.8 percent of his passes, with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Fast fact: Going against Raiola would be a compelling storyline around Nebraska. Some of Raiola’s stats are interesting. He is 9-9 against Power 4 teams with 21 touchdown passes, 16 interceptions and 53 sacks.

Oregon’s Dante Moore celebrates during the first half of the Ducks' spring game. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Analysis: Moore likely would have been a top-five pick in the NFL Draft this spring but decided to return to Oregon, which was 13-2 last season. He’s the real deal with a big arm and elusiveness to avoid defenders. He’s in a program that features speed in the skill positions and strength along the lines.

Washington
Oct. 31
Memorial Stadium
Likely starting quarterback: Demond Williams Jr.

Key stat: Williams, a sophomore, had a 69.5 completion rate, with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Another key stat: 611 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

Fast fact: Williams re-committed to the Huskies after last season, then publicly flirted with transferring.

Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. gained 611 yards on the ground and scored six rushing touchdowns. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Analysis: Williams is only 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds, but he played in every game last season. More than elusive, he is fast and can turn the ball upfield. Mobile quarterbacks gave the Huskers problems last season. Washington was 9-4 last season

Coming Thursday: The quarterbacks Nebraska will face in November.

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