Dan Lanning Names What Impressed Him Most About Oregon's Dylan Raiola At USC

Quarterback Dylan Raiola expected to compete one day on the big stage at Oregon after arriving in Eugene as a transfer from Nebraska.

Little did he know that shoulder tap would come unexpectedly on one of college football’s biggest stages of them all.

oregon ducks quarterback dylan raiola dante moore coach dan lanning lincoln riley desman stephens targeting usc trojans — Sept. 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola takes a snap as the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

No. 15 Oregon (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) improved to 10-0 all-time on the road in the Big Ten with a resilient 41-27 win over No. 18 USC (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) on Saturday night at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Raiola made his primetime debut with the Ducks after starting quarterback Dante Moore left the game following a late hit from Trojan linebacker Desman Stephens II, who drew a targeting penalty and ejection.

Exit Stephens II. Enter Raiola in just his second appearance in Oregon green and yellow.

The junior steadied the Ducks with a poised command of an offense that ultimately outlasted USC.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning saw a quarterback in Raiola who wasn’t just ready when his number was unexpectedly called, but one who embraced the moment.

‘He Just Played the Game’

Lanning was particularly impressed with Raiola’s calm, confidence and trust in the talent around him.

“Dylan was great, man,” Lanning said after the Ducks’ first conference win of the season. “I think a lot of times, when guys come into that situation, they feel like all of a sudden they have to press.

“I think what gave Dylan confidence is he’s like ‘I got great players around me, I’m gonna take what they give me.’ Probably a couple decisions tonight where I’m like ‘OK that’s probably not where we wanted the ball to go.’ Very few of those. A lot of decisions where he made the great decision to get rid of the ball.”

oregon ducks quarterback dylan raiola dante moore coach dan lanning lincoln riley desman stephens usc trojans targeting — Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola looks to throw against the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Raiola finished 19-of-25 (76 percent) for 289 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Between Moore and Raiola, the Ducks have yet to throw a pick through the team’s first four games.

Oregon scored 24 points on Raiola’s first four drives, turning a 7-3 Trojans advantage into a lead that Oregon would not relinquish.

“I thought he utilized his ability to scramble at times, make plays…could have been sacks, but he did a great job continuing down the field and keeping his eyes downfield,” Lanning said. “I don’t know what he finished, but the guy operated. Threw for almost 300 yards, 19 of 25, two touchdowns. I mean that’s the kind of performance you get excited about.”

‘Ready for His Moment’

Lanning might have been the least-surprised person in the Coliseum on Saturday night at Raiola’s immediate success.

“I’m very proud of Dylan, and we’ve all seen it,” the Oregon coach said of Raiola, who ended the night with 11.6 yards per attempt. “That momentum happens in sports a lot of times, when guys who weren’t ready, and they stepped up. And that becomes the story, and it’s ‘Oh that guy wasn’t ready for his moment.’ Regardless of how Dylan performed, I love that guy. He works so hard, incredibly hard, to put himself in position to have success and be successful. And he came in and operated, man.”

Raiola’s evening hit its zenith in the fourth quarter, connecting with wide receiver Dakorien Moore for a 29-yard touchdown to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive to break a 27-all tie.

He now has 413 yards and five touchdowns on 30-of-36 passing in fewer than two whole games with the Ducks.

The Full Circle Moment

The win surely held some added significance for Raiola.

It was USC who knocked him out for the year with a broken fibula during the Trojans’ 21-17 win over Nebraska during Week 10 of the 2025 season.

There’s no official word on the health of Dante Moore, other than the quarterback has movement in his extremities and is undergoing further examinations.

Oregon has a bye next to assess the health of Moore. If he’s unable to return to the lineup, Lanning is confident that Raiola will be prepared when Oregon returns from its bye to face former Pac-12 rival UCLA on Oct 10 at Autzen Stadium.

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