Dylan Raiola’s Comments About Nebraska Cornhuskers Set Stage for Complicated Reunion

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola remains a polarizing figure among Nebraska Cornhuskers fans, but his comments about Matt Rhule and his old teammates offer a glimpse into why the matchup will be "weird."

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola | oregon ducks on si Will Seibert

EUGENE - Adversity reveals character. The two-loss Oregon Ducks and backup quarterback Dylan Raiola are searching for a response after a season of promise took another painful turn.

The Oregon Ducks (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) are hosting the Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) on Saturday night in Autzen Stadium at a critical moment in their season. The quarterback situation is very much in the air.

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola | Darby Winter

Who Will Start At Quarterback For Oregon vs. Nebraska?

A matchup that already surfaced personal significance for Raiola now arrives with questions about whether he will get the opportunity to lead Oregon against his old team.

The Ducks' starting quarterback, Dante Moore, missed the upset loss against the UCLA Bruins as he works through concussion protocol. Moore has been practicing for a week and did participate in pregame warmups on Saturday.

If Moore is unavailable, will Oregon start Raiola? After the 17-15 loss to UCLA, Oregon coach Dan Lanning said it was too early to make a decision on who will start vs. Nebraska.

Two weeks removed from helping the Ducks beat USC in Los Angeles, Raiola struggled to find any rhythm against UCLA. The contrast in his stats tells the story.

He entered the game having completed 30 of 36 passes for 413 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in his first two appearances for Oregon. Against the Bruins, he finished six of 19 for 43 yards and two interceptions before third-string quarterback Brock Thomas took over. The Eugene-native senior Thomas provided a late spark, leaving the Ducks with another option to consider as they prepare for Nebraska.

Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) congratulates the UCLA Bruins after a game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, Nebraska is coming to Eugene for the first time since the Ducks joined the Big Ten. For Raiola, his worlds are colliding at a particularly challenging point in the current chapter.

What Dylan Raiola Said About Facing Former Team In Nebraska

Raiola is a polarizing figure for Cornhuskers fans, as his decision to transfer from Nebraska after starting two seasons for the program drew a lot of criticism. Raiola has shouldered that criticism and also credited Nebraska coach Matt Rhule for giving him a chance as a freshman.

“Coach Rhule gave me a chance my first two years of college,” Raiola said. “And nothing but love and respect for him.”

“For two years, that was my home,” Raiola said. “And I truly feel like that. I have relationships I still have on the team.”

The junior singled out Rhule, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas as coaches who helped shape him. Raiola also admitted how strange it will feel to see his former team and coaches on the opposite sideline in Autzen Stadium.

“It’s going to be weird, you know, seeing that team across, like I’m not on that team,” Raiola continued.

Nebraska also has deep ties to his family. His father, Dominic Raiola, was an All-America center for the Cornhuskers. Dylan's younger brother, Oregon tight end Dayton Raiola, had also been committed to Nebraska before eventually joining the Ducks. Dylan's older sister Taylor, also served as a graduate manager for recruiting at Nebraska after playing volleyball at Texas Christian University.

Oregon quarterbacks coach Koa Ka'ai, left, talks to quarterback Dylan Raiola during warmups as the Oregon Ducks host the UCLA Bruins on Oct. 10, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Personal connections aside, Raiola did not mince words on the goal vs. the Cornhuskers.

“Next week, all that matters is winning,” Raiola said. "We expect their best."

After Oregon's offensive blunders in the defeat to UCLA, the Ducks desperately need to get back on track.

Dylan Raiola’s Confidence Faces a Test Before Nebraska

With 22 starts at Nebraska over the previous two seasons, Raiola is one of the most experienced backups in college football. His poised performance against USC gave hope that Oregon could continue winning while Moore recovered.

However, against UCLA, Raiola did not play up to his standard. A chart shared by CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli ranked Raiola’s outing against UCLA as the worst single-game quarterback performance since 2024 by expected points added per dropback, at minus-1.20. It is a telling metric that measures how each passing play changes a team’s scoring chances based on down, distance and field position.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola | Darby Winter

Raiola, a five-star prospect and the No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, was recruited by Lanning and was already familiar with the program before transferring from the Cornhuskers.

After the upset loss, Lanning made sure that Raiola didn't shoulder the blame alone.

“He wasn’t good enough today. I think he can acknowledge that. But we didn’t prepare him to be good enough today,” Lanning said. “We didn’t put him in positions to have the success he needs to have. We need the best version of Dylan moving forward. Two weeks ago, he was phenomenal.”

“We want to see him continue to improve and get better and regain some of his confidence, because certainly he lost some of that today,” Lanning said. “If he pays too much attention to the news, he’s going to lose some more of it.”

Oregon and Raiola have an opportunity to regain some confidence and get back into the win column on Saturday night as the Ducks host the Cornhuskers at 8 p.m. PT.

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