si
As the No. 13 Oregon Ducks prepare to host the No. 21 UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium in their Big Ten opener, junior quarterback Dylan Raiola will get the start under center. During a media session, Raiola shared his thoughts on the upcoming matchup and identified one factor that could give the Bruins an edge.
Raiola noted that UCLA's coaching staff and several players have prior experience at Autzen Stadium. Head coach Bob Chesney and 11 transfers from James Madison University faced the Ducks in the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff, a game Oregon won 51-34. Despite the loss, the Dukes put up 323 passing yards and 186 rushing yards, a strong showing for a Group of Five team against a top-five opponent.
"Well, I think first, their familiarity with Autzen and Oregon. Staff came from JMU. I wasn't here last year when they played them, but they're definitely not going to shy down," Raiola said. "They're a team that just competes. They fight. They're the best in the fourth quarter. And so I think when you see a team like that, no matter how the game goes, you just got to know their best is coming at the end and when the game matters the most."
Chesney also addressed the challenge of returning to Autzen in his pregame press conference, praising Oregon's game environment and the pressure his team faced, which contributed to 13 penalties for 113 yards.
Raiola Leans on Moore's Experience
Raiola revealed that Dante Moore, the senior quarterback who has been practicing with the Ducks, has been instrumental in his preparation. Moore, who started against James Madison last season and threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions, shares insights throughout the week.
"Dante's been saying it all week is, you know, we got to keep pushing and we got to keep growing and find ways to get people open and just following his lead and doing that," Raiola added. This collaboration reflects Raiola's stated desire to learn from Moore, which he expressed during Oregon's media day before the 2026 season.
Confidence in Raiola
Raiola enters the game after a strong performance against USC, where he completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. Head coach Dan Lanning compared UCLA to the 2025 Indiana Hoosiers and expressed confidence in Raiola, noting that he brings "game ready" throws to practice.
"If he can just play like he played last time every single time, I think we'd be sitting in a really good situation. Dylan's got to keep doing what he's been doing, preparing like he's going to be the guy who goes out there every single day," Lanning said. "We don't need anything special from Dylan other than doing what he's been doing."