Oregon Drops Out of Top 25 in AP Poll After Loss to UCLA

Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks entered the season as contenders to win the National Championship. However, Oregon hasn't played at that level and has fallen from one of the best teams in the country to outside the AP Poll Top 25.

The Ducks had a rough game against the Bruins, losing a tight 17-15 game. Oregon was without star quarterback Dante Moore, as he continues to deal with a concussion, which led to Dylan Raiola starting. Raiola played well in his first two games on the field for the Ducks, but he did not show up against UCLA.

He completed six of 19 passes for 43 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions before he was benched for third-string quarterback Brock Thomas. 

The defense was solid, forcing turnovers and making key stops, but Oregon's offense behind Raiola couldn't get anything going. If Moore can't play against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Raiola may not start, as Thomas was solid and nearly led the Ducks to a late comeback win.

Thomas completed 11 of 15 passes for 156 yards, a touchdown, and zero interceptions, running the offense at a much more efficient level than Raiola. If he is called upon again as a starter, they will look for him to run the offense at the level he did against the Bruins.

It could be a tough decision for head coach Lanning, as Raiola has much more experience as a starter, having spent his first two seasons at Nebraska. In the 2024 season, he completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

He played even better in 2025, completing 72.4 percent of his passes for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions. 

Raiola played at a high level in his first two games with the Ducks, completing 83.3 percent of his passes for 413 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

If the 21-year-old can play at that level, he is the best option for Oregon at quarterback while Moore is out, but his struggles against UCLA are hard to ignore.

It's highly unlikely that the Ducks are able to advance to the College Football Playoff with two bad losses, but to have any chance, they will need to win out. Lanning and Oregon will hope Moore is ready to go against Nebraska, as that would help them avoid a tough decision about which backup to start at quarterback.