Skying into the Los Angeles night, Oregon receiver Dakorien Moore snatched a deep-ball away from defensive back Elbert Hill IV, crashed into the end zone, and scored the Ducks’ go-ahead fourth-quarter score on Saturday. That touchdown pushed Oregon to a 41-27 victory over USC in a prime-time affair at the Los Angeles Coliseum, a wild finish after what felt like a nightmare start for the Ducks. After a debilitating loss to Oklahoma State just two weeks prior, Oregon is suddenly right back in the College Football Playoff conversation.
The Raiola Era Kicks Off (Again)
The Tinseltown faithful were silenced, but the real story for Oregon started minutes into the contest when starting quarterback Dante Moore exited on a stretcher. A brutal hit from USC linebacker Desman Stephens II put Moore out, and just like that, ex-five-star recruit and perceived Nebraska savior, Dylan Raiola, was thrust into the spotlight. And get this: two plays after Moore left, Raiola fired a touchdown pass to Evan Stewart, putting the Ducks ahead early. He finished the game completing more than 75% of his passes for 289 yards and a pair of scores, absolutely flashing that arm strength and mobility everyone talked about during his recruitment. Raiola’s career has been, well, a journey, playing at three high schools in four years and flipping his commitment three times. He landed at Nebraska, showed massive arm talent but lacked consistency, and then broke his fibula against USC in 2025, ending his campaign before he entered the transfer portal. The plan was for him to back up Moore, but now, he’s squarely in the mix for a team that has national championship-or-bust aspirations. Can he meet those expectations? We’re about to find out.
Back in the CFP Mix (Barely)
This win wasn’t just about Raiola’s debut; it was about Oregon staying alive. While the offense has shouldered the load for years, the run game has struggled early this season. Dan Lanning’s squad only netted 119 yards on 25 touches in their season-opening win over Boise State. You can’t win big with that kind of production, so they’ll need to sort that out. Meanwhile, USC looked up to the task for a while, but fourth-quarter misfires ultimately sunk them. That means Lincoln Riley dropped his seventh game in eight tries against Associated Press Top 25 teams. That’s a rough stat for a program with USC’s history.
This Oregon team now faces a gauntlet: Ohio State, Michigan, Washington, and an upstart UCLA are all still on the schedule. Oh, and their trip to Lincoln on October 17 just got a hell of a lot more interesting with Raiola now under center. You gotta wonder if he can maintain this level and keep their national title hopes alive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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