Inside why quarterback Dylan Raiola decided to leave Nebraska and transfer to Oregon

Once a highly touted and high-profile five-star signee at Nebraska, Raiola will now make his first start for Oregon on Saturday

Oct 9, 2026 at 8:12 am ET • 3 min read

Just over two years ago, Dylan Raiola made his first start at Nebraska as a highly-touted five-star freshman. After picking the Cornhuskers over Georgia, Raiola was supposed to be a transformative player, one who restored Nebraska to its former glory.

On Saturday, Raiola will make his first start for Oregon as it takes on UCLA. Relegated to a backup role with the Ducks, Raiola got the starting nod because Dante Moore suffered a concussion against USC.

The No. 2-ranked quarterback in the 2024 signing class, Raiola had his pick of elite programs around the country. He received offers from Alabama, Michigan, Miami. USC and Notre Dame -- in addition to Nebraska and Georgia. The Huskers pulled out a late recruiting win over the Bulldogs in a major coup for a program that desperately needed one.

In the span of just two seasons, Raiola went from the savior of Nebraska football to another program entirely. It was a split that began after the young quarterback's first season in Lincoln and finally came to a head at the end of a disappointing 2025 campaign.

Here's why Raiola left Nebraska and chose to accept a backup role at Oregon.

Growing rift between family and Nebraska

Back in May, our own Chris Hummer reported on the split between Raiola and the Huskers, and it boiled down to a difference in vision between his family and the program.

According to Hummer, Raiola actually weighed transferring after his freshman season in 2024. That put the marriage on thin ice going into the 2025 campaign, and the on-field product certainly didn't help.

A broken fibula limited Raiola to just nine games last season, but even before that, Raiola and the Huskers struggled to find consistency. Raiola completed 72.4 percent of his passes, but he averaged just 222.2 yards per game with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.

In the process, Raiola absorbed hits frequently. The Huskers allowed 2.54 sacks per game, which ranked 113th nationally. Complicating matters was the fact that Dylan's uncle, Donovan, was the Nebraska offensive line coach. He was fired on Dec. 6.

Less than a month before the Huskers fired Dylan's uncle, Dylan's brother Dayton -- a three-star quarterback prospect -- decommitted from Nebraska.

By the time the end of the season came around, Nebraska was prepared for a possible split from Raiola and his family. According to Hummer, the team wasn't eager to get into another "back-and-forth with Raiola" over NIL money, and the family wanted Raiola to land somewhere with a better supporting cast that could help him compete for championships.

Because of that, Raiola looked at other opportunities in the transfer portal, and the Huskers went after Anthony Colandrea out of UNLV.

A fresh start in Eugene

Oregon was one of the many teams that offered Raiola a scholarship out of high school, and it was an attractive landing spot for him out of the transfer portal.

Still, Raiola knew there was a possibility that he would have to spend one season as a backup if Moore chose not to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. That's exactly what happened, and Raiola began the year on the bench until Moore exited the USC game with a concussion.

Raiola's decision to join the Ducks has already proven to be a shrewd one, and it will likely benefit him down the line as well. Raiola went to Nebraska with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Some of that came naturally as a highly-ranked quarterback, and some of that came as a result of Raiola purposefully emulating Patrick Mahomes, one of the best quarterbacks in the world.

At Oregon, Raiola was able to get out of the spotlight and reset, at least for a few months. There's no question the Ducks have a more talented team around him, and it's a roster capable of competing for a College Football Playoff berth.

This weekend, with a new logo on the side of his helmet and a new number on the back of his jersey, Raiola will get to chart a new path for himself and leave his tumultuous Nebraska tenure in the rearview mirror.