Heading into the 2026 season, there are question marks about who will be the starting quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. Will it be Dante Moore returning, a transfer, or another quarterback that is already on the roster?

In the transfer portal, Oregon has landed former Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola. Current Ducks quarterback Akili Smith Jr. will be in his second season with the Ducks come the fall and posted on social media after this news. 

Akili Smith Jr. Reaction to Dylan Raiola Transfer

Akila Smith Jr. signed with Oregon as a member of their 2025 recruiting class. The four-star quarterback didn’t play in his freshman season in 2025, but there is a chance for him to play in 2026 if Dante Moore declares for the draft. 

However, the news of Oregon getting Raiola could change things. Shortly after the news that Raiola would be coming to Oregon, Smith posted this message on social media. 

“Trust the process,” Smith said with a 100 emoji and a duck emoji at the end. 

It may just be one post, but this doesn’t exactly scream that Smith is thinking about entering the transfer portal. It more so says that it may take time, but his shot at Oregon will come eventually.

MORE: Fernando Mendoza’s Classy Move After Beating The Ducks Is Turning Heads

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MORE: Another Oregon Ducks Quarterback Enters Transfer Portal

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Dylan Raiola Commits to Oregon

Coming out of high school in the class of 2024 as a five-star recruit, Dylan Raiola signed with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In his two seasons there, Raiola threw for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns. Raiola’s 2025 season was cut short after he suffered a season ending fibula injury. His recovery timetable is still up in the air. He could end up having to miss time next season. 

Following the 2025 season, Raiola entered the transfer portal. After going on a visit to Eugene, Raiola is now committed to Dan Lanning and the Ducks.

The Dante Moore Question

The biggest factor for who will start next season at quarterback will be based around what Dante Moore decides to do. Moore started all 15 games this year for the Ducks and played well. He threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Moore is currently slated as the No. 2 overall player in the 2026 NFL Draft per ESPN and CBS Sports mocks drafts. That is if he ends up declaring. The New York Jets have the No. 2 pick.

Moore has not yet made a decision. With Oregon’s season coming to a close against the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff semifinal, a decision should be made in the coming days for Moore.

If he were to return to Eugene, there is no doubt that he would be the 2026 starter. If he declares, that would open the door for someone like Raiola or the highly recruited Akili Smith Jr.

The writing was on the wall that the magical start to the 2025-2026 season was over for the Nebraska men’s basketball team.

Indiana’s sharpshooting Lamar Wilkerson and MVC Player of the Year Tucker DeVries had the Huskers in a bind, shooting over 57% in the first 20 minutes to eventually build a 16-point lead with just under 18 minutes left in the game. Starring defeat in the face, NU didn’t blink, piling up 53 second-half points, including eight three-pointers to shock the Hoosiers and silence a packed Assembly Hall Saturday in Bloomington.

Jamarques Lawrence poured in 27 points while Rienk Mast (13), Pryce Sandfort (12) and Braden Frager (11) each joined their teammate in double figures. The Huskers nailed 14 three-pointers while committing six fewer turnovers, winning in areas that are key to taking victories in the Big Ten.

Standing at 16-0, Nebraska returns to Lincoln to face a conference newcomer facing their own difficulties. Here’s all you need to know for Tuesday’s late-night tip against Oregon.

How to Follow Along 

• Matchup: No. 8 Nebraska (16-0, 5-0 B1G) vs. Oregon (8-8, 1-4 B1G)
• When: Tuesday, January 13
• Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Neb.
• Time: 8 p.m. CST 
• Watch: Big Ten Network
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Oregon Scout

Head Coach

• Dana Altman | 16th season at Oregon; 37th as Division I HC
• 378-170 (.690) at Oregon; 788-413 (.656) Career DI Record
• 17x NCAA Tournament Apps., 1x Final Four (2017), 1x Elite Eight, 3x Sweet 16, CBI Title (2011)
• 4x Pac-12 Regular Season & Tournament, 6x MVC Tournament, 3x MVC Regular Season
• Jim Phelan Award (2013), 3x Pac-12 Coach OTY, 2x MVC Coach OTY, Big Eight Coach OTY (1993), SoCon Coach OTY (1990)
• Previous head coach at Creighton, Kansas State, Marshall, Moberly CC, Southeast CC
• Previous assistant at Kansas State and Western Colorado 

2024-2025 Record & Awards

• Record: 25-10 (12-8 B1G, T-7th)
• All-B1G: 2x Third Team, 2x All-Defensive

All-Time Series

• Nebraska leads 8-6
• Feb. 2, 2025, last matchup, 77-71 Nebraska

Key Returners

• Nate Bittle | C | Sr. | Returning All-Big Ten center that’s leading the Ducks with 16.8 points and second on the squad with seven rebounds per contest.
• Jackson Shelstad | G | Jr. | The second of two All-Big Ten honorees returning for Oregon this year, and he’s improved his production to over 15 points per game while leading the team in assists (59) and second in three-pointers made (33).
• Kwame Evans Jr. | F | Jr. | Key reserve last season, but has turned into an instrumental piece of the starting lineup with 13.3 PPG and 7.6 RPG, which are both nearly double the average from last year.
• Dezdrick Lindsay | F | Sr. | Missed all of last season due to injury and has returned to score 5.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in starting six of his 16 appearances this year.

Key Departures

• TJ Bamba | G | Graduated | Ended his college career by averaging over 10 points per game and three rebounds as a 35-game starter for Oregon in 2024-2025.
• Keeshawn Barthelemy | G | Sr. | Part-time starter that mostly played as the premier scorer off the bench with 10 PPG and Oregon’s top three-pointer shooter with 63 made.
• Brandon Angel | F | Graduated | Starting forward who chipped in over eight points and nearly four rebounds per game.
• Jadrian Tracey | G | Graduated | Another part-time starter that contributed solid minutes and added 6.9 PPG in 35 appearances.
• Supreme Cook | F | Graduated | Depth forward that scored 4.7 points and grabbed 2.6 rebounds per game in 32 appearances off the bench.
• Ra’Heim Moss | G | Graduated | Another bench contributor that averaged 10 minutes per game as a senior.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Takai Simpkins | G | Sr. | Second Team All-CAA at Elon last season, and his game has translated to the Big Ten, adding 12.6 points per game as a full-time starter for the Ducks.
• Sean Stewart | F | Jr. | Transfer from Ohio State, where he was a 30-game starter, but has produced similar numbers with 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
• Wei Lin | G | Soph. | Chinese guard who put up 21 points a game last year for the Chinese Basketball Association, but has only added 5.9 PPG in 15 contests this season.
• Devon Pryor | F | Jr. | Transfer from Texas, who’s been productive with three points and rebounds per game, but has played in only 11 of 15 games this season.
• Ege Demir | C | Jr. | 6-foot-11 center and Nigeria native who’s now at Oregon after playing in the Turkish Basketball Super League over the past couple of seasons. 

Outlook

If anything, Oregon head coach Dana Altman is mighty consistent. Dating back to the 1998-1999 season when the Nebraska native was at Creighton, his teams have reached 20 wins or more in 26 of the past 27 years, which includes a Final Four appearance for the Ducks in 2017.

Oregon more than held their own in their first season in the Big Ten, compiling a 25-10 record before bowing out in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Altman and the Ducks returned the core of that group this season as All-Big Ten Third Team selections Nate Bittle (16.8 PPG) and Jackson Shelstad (15.6 PPG) are back — averaging a combined 32.4 points per game. 6-foot-10 forward Kwame Evans Jr. was a bench piece last season, but he’s grown to average 13.3 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per contest to give the Ducks a trio of key returners.

UO still lost talent over the offseason, including double-digit scorers TJ Bama, who was a starter, and Keeshawn Barthelemy. Plus, they saw a quartet of key reserves all graduate. Reinforcements have come in the form of Elon transfer Takai Simpkins, who has added 12.6 points per game in all 16 contests. Ohio State transfer Sean Stewart brings plenty of experience after starting in all 30 contests last year with the Buckeyes, while Chinese import Wei Lin (5.9 PPG), Texas transfer Devon Pryor (3.4 PPG), and Nigerian center Ege Demir all replace the depth that was depleted.

Oregon’s 8-8 record could easily be more in the Ducks favor with half of its losses coming by single digits, including a three-point loss to Rutgers on Jan. 5 and a nine-point defeat to No. 7 Gonzaga on Dec. 21. Offense has been an issue for Oregon as they sit in the bottom five of the conference in scoring, field goal percentage and free throw percentage. The Ducks will want to make this a rock fight, especially if they can run the offense through seven-foot and All-Big Ten center Nate Brittles. However, with NU returning to Pinnacle Bank Arena, I don’t see Nebraska dropping its first game of the season to the Ducks.

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