How UCLA Can Prepare for New Oregon QB Dylan Raiola

As the Bruins prepare to face the Ducks in their ranked Week 6 matchup, Oregon will be without their starting quarterback, Dante Moore.

Against USC a week ago, Moore suffered a concussion on a scary hit that prompted backup quarterback and Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola to enter the game.

The Confidence in Dylan Raiola Is High

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola celebrates a touchdown by Oregon running back Dierre Hill Jr. as the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans on Sept. 26, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Raiola looked calm and collected and played quite the game against the Trojans. His performance gave many Oregon fans the confidence they needed to carry the season forward, and even UCLA head coach Bob Chesney was apparently impressed. When asked about facing Raiola ahead of Week 6, here’s what he had to say:

“Well, the other guy's not bad, right?” Chesney said. “So when you watch him come in and just complete that game and do what he did, there's not a giant drop-off between the two of those guys. They're both really, really good, as you know.”

Jul 29, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Football head coach Bob Chesney speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“You know, Dylan obviously has a chance at the end of that USC game to really put himself in position to gain confidence in his teammates and teammates to gain confidence in him. And I thought he was on time. I thought he was accurate. He let those guys compete for footballs, and I'm sure there's a lot of buy-in in that program right now in him.”

Raiola Against USC

Raiola ended the night against USC completing 19-of-25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. He clearly showed he can play on a big stage and perform well in order to take down talented opponents. Yes, he has plenty of starting experience in the Big Ten, but for a backup quarterback to come into a game in a moment's notice and play as well as he did in a road environment makes the Ducks look just as formidable as before.

Sep 19, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney reacts against the Purdue Boilermakers in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This UCLA defense has done poorly against good passing teams this season, as shown by their win over Purdue. The Bruins won, but their secondary was torched all night long. If the matchup against Oregon resembles that game in any way, it could be a long night for the Bruins.

The Ducks started the season with huge expectations, while the Bruins head into the matchup already exceeding the expectations set out for them at the beginning of the season. It will be a great matchup on Saturday, but I believe the Bruins have what it takes to do the job.

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