LOS ANGELES — When Dylan Raiola transferred to Oregon, he had no idea what his future held.
Dante Moore was returning, so that meant zero chance of starting. Not only that, he was coming off a broken fibula that prematurely ended his 2025 season. Who knew – other than in mop-up duty – when he’d be playing meaningful snaps again.
“I never really knew when my moment was gonna happen, what to expect,” Raiola said.
Little did he know that moment would arrive in a critical game for Oregon.
And oh boy, did he meet it.
With Oregon on the ropes of its season, star quarterback Dante Moore went down with a devastating injury that resulted in him going to the hospital. In came Raiola, and he played sensational in his first significant game of his Ducks career.
Despite losing its QB1, Raiola stepped up with a sensational outing to power Oregon on the road past USC 41-27 in a must-win game. He finished with 289 passing yards and two touchdowns, capping off an emotional night triumphant – in an occasion that could be the turning point of Oregon’s season.
“He was ready for his moment,” said Oregon coach Dan Lanning.
The emotions were heavy when Moore was viciously hit by USC linebacker Desman Stephens II. Oregon players were frustrated, feeling like it was an intentional tackle and wanting to defend their guy. Lanning was just trying to keep his guys composed while they watched Moore get loaded onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. The “energy changed,” Lanning noted.
In that shift, where everything could have unraveled, Raiola had the realization it was time for him to step up. It was a complicated emotion. Not only did his colleague go down, but he knew that feeling when he was hurt last season.
In that moment, Raiola said he connected with the team, and it knew the rest of the game “was going to be for” Moore.
Two plays after the injury, and on his first throw of the night, Raiola found Evan Stewart for a 3-yard touchdown, and started turning a night of gloom into a night to remember.
Raiola not only played well, but came up big when he needed to. He was making correct line adjustments, audibling when needed. Big gains, huge third and fourth down conversions all leading to an offense that scored four touchdowns on its five full possessions in the second half.
How did it flow so good? Well, Raiola didn’t know when that moment would come. But he made sure to stay ready if it happened.
“This guy prepared for his moment like he was going to be out there in the field when his number got called, not knowing that it would,” Lanning said. “When his number got called, he was ready for it. He was able to execute. Really proud of that.”
Not only did Oregon see it, but they felt it, too.
“He's been working hard,” said receiver Dakorien Moore. “Whether he was starting or not, he's in the locker room acting like he's a starter, communicating, having fun with us on the field, making plays.
“It was just in him, so it wasn't no type of change besides the type of quarterback he is.”
Lanning stated multiple times there are countless examples of when a star gets hurt and the backup isn’t able to perform at the same level, often pressing and trying to do too much. With Raiola, he noted the confidence in the quarterback came from him saying that he has great players around him, so to take what defenses give and let the guys work their magic.
And there was no greater example of that confidence when Raiola had his tongue out like Michael Jordan, playing one of the best games of his life.
DYLAN RAIOLA IS FEELING HIMSELF AFTER THE TOUCHDOWN PASS👀 pic.twitter.com/FVCXpnD950
— FD (@flooduck) September 27, 2026
The win was a full circle moment for Raiola. He played his first game since the injury against Portland State on Sept. 18, but that was in a blowout. This was his first real action since he broke his fibula, which coincidentally happened against USC on Nov. 1, 2025.
“My family, my close circle, will know what this one means to me,” he said.
It wasn’t the circumstances he wanted his moment to happen. It was a complicated feeling because he was able to lead Oregon to a win, but he didn’t want it to be from a scary situation involving the leader of the team. Before a member of the media could ask him a question, he stated “this is for five” and he loves his brother in Moore.
But inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Raiola found peace.
That’s why this moment − one he didn’t know would come − will be one he remembers forever.
“I promise you, we're gonna celebrate this one on the plane back for sure,” Raiola said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Not knowing what's next, Dylan Raiola saves Oregon: 'He was ready for his moment'
