Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was ruled out for the Top 25 matchup against UCLA this weekend.
Moore remains in concussion protocol and won’t play when his team hosts the Bruins Saturday. Instead, the Ducks will deploy backup Dylan Raiola, who took over at the Coliseum when Moore was hit late by USC linebacker Desman Stephens on Sept. 26.
Moore was placed on a stretcher and left the game in an ambulance, while Stephens smiled and celebrated. The Trojan linebacker was later suspended by head coach Lincoln Riley for his actions and issued an apology.
Raiola will get the starting job against No. 21 UCLA at Autzen Stadium. The backup quarterback transferred to Oregon after starting two seasons at Nebraska.
Thus far, he’s thrown for 413 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in two appearances this year. Saturday’s matchup against UCLA will be Raiola’s first start for the Ducks.
Unlike No. 13 Oregon’s volatile relationship with the Trojans, both Bob Chesney and Dan Lanning have exchanged pleasantries ahead of the matchup.
“That there are no weaknesses in this team,” Chesney said of Oregon. “And if you leave them something to expose, they will expose it.”
Lanning revealed the UCLA head coach offered to check on Moore while he was hospitalized in LA after exiting the USC game early.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him and his program,” Lanning said of Chesney and the Bruins.
It appears Saturday’s matchup won’t feature any spiteful banter between programs, it’ll simply be a hard fought battle between admired opponents.
