News Article
Published
Oct 25, 2026 at 12:43 PM EDT
The Oregon Ducks suffered a devastating blow to the team's hope of returning to the College Football Playoffs, getting upset by the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday.
Despite quarterback Dylan Raiola having a standout performance, his team fell 21-10. Raiola completed 27 of 41 passes for 246 yards, but threw no touchdowns. Running back Jordon Davison finished with 92 yards and the team's only touchdown in the first quarter.
After the loss, Raiola expressed his disappointment in the situation, and got brutally honest about any consideration of returning to the CFP after last year's run.
"Truth of the fact is, playoffs are probably out of our reach ... It sucks... Everybody made a decision to come here, come back, and it hasn’t panned out the way we thought it would," Raiola told reporters postgame.
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The loss dropped Oregon to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten. That sort of resume won't cut it when it comes to the committee deciding which teams make the 12-team field at the end of the season.
Oregon went to the CFP behind star quarterback Dante Moore last season, defeating James Madison and Texas Tech by double digits before falling to the Indiana Hoosiers. For several games this season, Moore has been sidelined to continue recovering from the concussion he suffered after being knocked out during his team's game against USC weeks ago.
The Ducks have gone 1-2 in Moore's absence, with Raiola and Brock Thomas each getting a chance to shine at quarterback. Last night's loss was especially disappointing for Oregon fans, as the team held a 10-7 halftime lead and then failed to answer Illinois's two touchdowns in the second half.
Oregon next faces No. 24 Northwestern on Oct. 31, giving them a chance to turn things around with a win. On Nov. 7, the team had a scheduled showdown with Ohio State, which also lost its starting quarterback, Julian Sayin, to what seems to be a season-ending injury.
However, Raiola and fellow backup Thomas haven't been able to replace what they had in Moore, who was considered a potential contender for the Heisman Trophy ahead of the season.
Moore was also considered a top pick if he had entered the 2026 NFL Draft, but he opted to return for another season at Oregon under head coach Dan Lanning. His timeline to return for Oregon and try to salvage the season remains unclear as the team continues to struggle through its schedule with backup quarterbacks.
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