Dylan Widger/Imagn
Former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola entered the transfer portal in January following his sophomore season with the Cornhuskers. He’s since found his next home.
The signal caller committed to Oregon ending a relatively quiet recruitment. He has accepted a demotion in order to play for the Ducks.
Raiola was once the most highly sought after passer in college football. A former five-star prospect, he signed with Matt Rhule after previous commitments to Ohio State and Georgia.
He earned the keys to the offense upon stepping foot on campus, starting 22 games across two seasons. In that time, he flashed a high ceiling but was largely inconsistent.
The Cornhuskers went 13-9 under Raiola’s leadership. As a freshman, he threw a Big Ten worst 11 interceptions. He cut down on the mistakes as a sophomore, tossing 18 scores to just six picks.
In 2025, he threw for less than 200 yards four times across nine outings. As a result, his five-star status took a hit.
Raiola is now considered a four-star transfer talent. There are questions as to whether or not he’ll be a starting quarterback in 2026.
Dylan Raiola committed to Oregon.
He announced his decision on social media Monday. In doing so, he accepted the possibility of a demotion to QB2.
The Ducks are fresh off a 13-win season in which they made the College Football Playoff. Much of that success was directly linked to starting QB Dante Moore.
Moore was in his first season as Oregon’s starter after transferring in to become a backup. He is now the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Despite his projected early first-round grade, questions surround his future. There are some that believe he should reject the NFL interest to return for another season in Eugene. If he takes that advice, he will be the starter again next year.
Raiola understood the possibility of Moore’s return when making his commitment. He accepted the terms of a potential backup role.
A demotion did not deter him from joining the Ducks, which might help the program secure long-term success under center as well as a package deal.
Dayton Raiola has been linked to Oregon.
“There’s a deal in place for Dylan if he (Dante Moore) stays and another deal if he leaves…” @steven_sipple broke down Dylan Raiola’s link to Oregon this morning on Early Break while also getting into specifics of what Raiola’s deal with the Ducks could entail, including a… pic.twitter.com/JZzoHr0Ul2
— 93.7 The Ticket (@937TheTicket) January 12, 2026
Steven Sipple of HuskersOnline broke down Raiola’s recruitment to Oregon a few days before his commitment. He said there were multiple scenarios discussed.
“I think he’s going to Oregon regardless of Dante Moore’s decision,” Sipple said. “There’s a deal in place for Dylan if Dante Moore stays and another deal if he leaves.” The insider then continued on to mention Raiola’s younger brother.
“I think Dayton would go with him.”
-Steven Sipple
Dayton Raiola is a three-star QB prospect in the 2026 recruiting class. He’d previously been committed to Nebraska before backing off of that pledge.
Now, he remains uncommitted. He was reportedly with Dylan at the Peach Bowl and on his recent visit to Eugene. Sipple suggests that Oregon could take Dayton as a walk-on passer or as a tight end.
To this point, Dayton Raiola remains uncommitted. Dylan Raiola, meanwhile, has made it known that he’ll be a Duck in 2026.
The only question left to answer relates to his future status as the team’s starter. Will he be QB1 or relegated to a reserve role?