No. 13 Oregon just couldn’t hang with No. 21 UCLA on Saturday, falling 17-15 at Autzen Stadium, and the absolute kicker? Starting QB Dante Moore was out with a concussion, leaving Dylan Raiola to start, but he got benched in the fourth quarter. It was a chaotic mess for the Ducks, ending with them short on a game-winning attempt and looking straight up sloppy.
The Raiola Experiment Goes Sideways
The game started with UCLA snagging a quick 3-0 lead with a field goal, but Oregon actually caught a break when Bruins QB Nico Iamaleava fumbled on the one-yard line. Oregon capitalized, taking a 6-3 lead thanks to a short rushing touchdown from Jordon Davison, who later tallied 41 yards and that score. You thought maybe they’d find their rhythm, right? Nope. Both teams stumbled through the rest of the first quarter. Then UCLA’s Wayne Knight ripped off a 35-yard rushing touchdown in the second, putting the Bruins up 10-6 at halftime. Knight was a beast, racking up 103 yards and that touchdown.
Iamaleava himself got hurt and was replaced by Ty Dieffenbach to start the second half, but it barely mattered because UCLA’s defense absolutely clamped down on Oregon. The Ducks’ three possessions in the third quarter? A punt, a fumble, and an interception. That’s when things got really grim for Dylan Raiola. He was struggling, completing only 6 of 19 passes for a meager 43 yards, tossing 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. After UCLA stretched their lead to 17-6 in the fourth, Coach Dan Lanning pulled the plug on Raiola.
Brock Thomas Sparked a Comeback That Couldn’t Quite Ignite
In stepped Brock Thomas, and he immediately injected some life into Oregon’s offense. The Ducks went on a 60-yard drive that ended with a field goal, chipping the lead down to 17-9. Thomas kept pushing, connecting with Evan Stewart for a huge 44-yard score, bringing Oregon within two points at 17-15. Stewart had a strong day overall with 5 catches for 74 yards and that crucial touchdown. Thomas finished with a respectable 11 of 15 for 156 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions in his relief appearance.
But the comeback hit a brick wall. The game-tying two-point conversion attempt failed. Brutal. Even though Oregon’s defense forced another UCLA punt, the Ducks couldn’t get into range for a game-winning field goal attempt with just 44 seconds left and no timeouts. What really killed them was ball security, committing a mind-boggling seven turnovers. Seven! On top of that, they converted a measly one of their eleven opportunities on third down. You just can’t win football games like that. This was a tough, tough pill to swallow, showcasing some serious mental mistakes that have to get cleaned up, pronto.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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