Oregon will be without quarterback Dante Moore for a second straight game, ruling him out against Nebraska on the injury report released Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. Moore has not played since sustaining a concussion in Week 4 against USC, and his absence leaves the No. 25 Ducks searching for answers at the position heading into Saturday’s 8 p.m. kickoff on FOX.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning did not name a starter between Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas when addressing the Dante Moore injury update Wednesday, saying the decision would come down to the next man up performing cleanly in practice. “Yeah, I’ll let it lean on the availability report,” Lanning said, per 247Sports. “Obviously, no advantage there for us one way or the other.
To communicate that again, he’s out there at practice today, throwing the ball. Looked nice, right? It’s exciting to see, but we’ll let that play out as we communicate it.”
Oregon’s Official Word On Moore’s Status
Moore’s designation as out mirrors the one Oregon issued before the UCLA game, when he also did not play. The team has not disclosed a timeline for his return, and Lanning’s comments Wednesday focused on Moore’s practice participation rather than any target date to get back on the field.
Lanning has framed the broader quarterback picture as an open battle regardless of Moore’s health. “We’ve really got a competition in a lot of positions,” Lanning said, according to 247Sports. “Obviously, at the quarterback position, if Dante’s not able to go. Really, there’s competition every single week because I always say football is like renting a house, it’s not owning a house, you have to pay rent every week.”
Who Replaces Moore: Raiola And Thomas In The Mix
With Moore sidelined, Oregon is choosing between Raiola and Thomas, neither of whom has been formally named the starter for Nebraska. Lanning said ball security will be the deciding factor. “What do you have to do at quarterback?
You have to protect the ball,” Lanning said. “That’s the first thing that’s going to give us a chance to have success.”
Raiola, who transferred to Oregon from Nebraska after starting 22 games for the Huskers as a freshman and sophomore, threw for nearly 300 yards in three quarters during a win at USC. But he completed just 6 of 19 passes for 43 yards with two interceptions against UCLA before getting pulled in the fourth quarter, a performance PFF graded as the worst by an Oregon quarterback since 2013, according to CBS Sports.
Thomas relieved Raiola against UCLA and went 11-of-16 for 156 yards and a touchdown, per 247Sports. CBS Sports listed his totals as 149 yards and a score on the same series of throws. Either stat line represents a more efficient outing than Raiola’s and has fueled the open competition Lanning described this week.
Season Context For Oregon’s Quarterbacks
Oregon enters the Nebraska game at 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play after opening the season ranked No. 2 in the country. The Ducks fell out of the AP poll following the loss to UCLA, their second defeat of the season, and USA Today listed the program among college football’s biggest disappointments through the first half of the season. Lanning has indicated a three-loss Oregon team would not make the College Football Playoff field.
Raiola’s lone strong showing this season came in the win at USC, while his collapse against UCLA has opened the door for Thomas to push for playing time. Neither quarterback has started more than part of a game for Oregon, making Saturday’s matchup a measuring stick for both.
What’s Next For Oregon
Oregon hosts Nebraska, now 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play, Saturday at 8 p.m. on FOX. No further update on Moore’s availability is expected before Oregon releases its next injury report.
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