Oregon's Dan Lanning opens QB competition as Dylan Raiola faces Nebraska, his old team

Dylan Raiola will have to win the job if he is going to start against his former team. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said the Ducks will hold an open quarterback competition this week if Dante Moore cannot play Saturday against Nebraska, ClutchPoints reported.

Moore has been out since he suffered a concussion in Oregon's game against USC. Raiola started in his place last week against UCLA and had a rough day. According to ClutchPoints, he completed 6 of 19 passes for 43 yards with two interceptions before Lanning went to Brock Thomas to try to get the offense moving.

The change helped. Thomas went 11 of 15 for 156 yards and gave the Ducks a late lift, but Oregon could not finish the comeback. That relief outing is why the job is now open. Lanning has no clear second-string answer, and Thomas has a real claim to the start if Moore stays out.

The opponent makes the story bigger. Raiola came to Eugene from Nebraska, and Lanning admitted the matchup carries extra weight for him. "This game of course, it's going to be an emotional game for Dylan, being the place he came from," Lanning said, as reported by On3's Pete Nakos and cited by ClutchPoints. Lanning also called Raiola a professional who would do everything he could to get the team ready, whether or not he starts.

What's at stake Saturday

Nebraska (5-1) visits Oregon (3-2) on Saturday, October 17, at 11:00 PM EDT on Fox. The Ducks already have two losses, and the defeat to UCLA left them little room to lose again in the Big Ten race. The Cornhuskers have one loss and a chance to add a signature road win against a ranked-caliber program that is unsettled at quarterback.

The market still leans clearly toward the home team. Oregon is favored at -257 on Novig, one of the venues pricing the game, and the best sportsbook price on the Ducks is -295 at BetMGM. The spread is Oregon -7.5 and the total is 52.5. Full numbers are on the Nebraska at Oregon odds page. Those prices could move as Oregon's quarterback situation becomes clearer this week. Moore's status is the biggest variable, and the gap between Raiola's day against UCLA and Thomas's relief work is the next one.

The team that beat Oregon is busy too. UCLA, now 5-0 and ranked No. 12, hosts Wisconsin (4-1) at 7:30 PM EDT on NBC earlier Saturday evening. The Bruins are favored at -125 on Novig and by 2.5 points, with a total of 44.5. BetMGM has the best sportsbook price on UCLA at -130. More is on the Wisconsin at UCLA odds page.

For Oregon, the week depends on a medical update and a practice-field decision. If Moore is cleared, the competition likely ends. If he isn't, Lanning has to choose between a transfer facing his old program after his worst outing and a backup who just gave the offense its best stretch of the game.