The Oregon Ducks (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) are reportedly turning to quarterback Brock Thomas ahead of their Big Ten showdown against Nebraska (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) on Saturday night at Autzen Stadium.
Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported on Friday that the former third-string senior is trending toward making his first career start after receiving most of the first-team practice repetitions this week.
The move comes a week after quarterback Dylan Raiola, filling in for injured starting quarterback Dante Moore, foundered in his own first start under center for the Ducks. Oregon is coming off a 17-15 upset loss to then-No. 21 UCLA, in which Raiola connected on 6-of-19 for just 43 yards, two interceptions and one of the Ducks’ five lost fumbles.
That decision would deny Raiola a shot at his former team. Prior to arriving in Eugene this winter via the portal, Raiola threw for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns for the Cornhuskers between the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Instead, it appears Oregon is tapping the Eugene native Thomas on the shoulder as the next man up in a game that the Ducks can ill afford to lose.
Brock Thomas Earns Opportunity
Thomas made a case for himself in relief of Raiola. The senior entered the game late against UCLA and provided an immediate spark, leading Oregon to nine fourth-quarter points to shave the Bruins’ lead to two points.
His 156 passing yards on 11-of-15 attempts accounted for 57.4 percent of the team’s entire 272 yards of total offense and was highlighted by wide receiver Evan Stewart’s 44-yard scoring grab.
“I think we made some adjustments in having getting the ball out a little bit quicker,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said, “creating some more open pictures that allowed Brock to do that.”
Regardless of who is running the huddle on Saturday, they’ll face a Nebraska defense that ranks No. 16 nationally in total defense and No. 1 in third-down defense, narrowly ahead of Oregon.
From Walk-On to Starter
Thomas starting for Oregon would be a fairy tale of sorts for the Eugene native.
The quarterback from Sheldon High School turned down scholarships to play elsewhere in favor of suiting up for the hometown Ducks as a walk-on. He’s been accurate in his 11 appearances with Oregon, completing 26-of-36 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns.
His first career scoring toss came in relief of Moore on Oct. 25, 2025, against Wisconsin when he floated a 1-yard pass to offensive lineman Gernorris Wilson.
Nebraska will present the toughest challenge of his career by far. How long of a leash he’ll get before Raiola begins warming up remains to be seen.
Oregon’s Next Test
Thomas’ performance against UCLA appears to have earned him a promotion as Lanning looks to stabilize his offense while Moore continues to recover from the concussion he suffered against USC.
Nebraska, however, brings a much more menacing defense into Autzen than UCLA.
The Cornhuskers locked down No. 7 Indiana through three quarters last week, holding the Hoosiers to just six points. Quarterback Josh Hoover and Indiana exposed Nebraska’s vulnerability through the air, however, with a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver Nick Marsh of 75 and 44 yards.
Thomas has shown enough command of the offense and has the weapons around him to prove that his success against the Bruins was not a fluke. Oregon needs someone under center who can put points on the scoreboard while taking control of the game clock, something Lanning’s squad failed to do last week.
If not, Raiola will be waiting in the wings for a crack at his old team.
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