Dylan Raiola threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns to lead Oregon to a 34-26 victory over No. 20 Northwestern on Saturday in Eugene, Oregon. The win snapped Northwestern’s winning streak and improved the Ducks’ record to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Pac-12.
Raiola, making his second consecutive start after starter Dante Moore was sidelined for the season, completed 22 of 31 passes. He connected frequently with receiver Dakorien Moore, who caught seven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns, marking his first career 100-yard receiving game.
Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles passed for 281 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 93 yards and another score. Chiles’ 64-yard touchdown pass to Griffin Wilde gave the Wildcats an early 10-0 lead, and he added a short scoring run to extend the advantage to 20-6 late in the second quarter. Wilde finished with five catches for 146 yards and one touchdown.
Oregon rallied in the second half, despite losing running back Jordon Davison to a leg injury in the first half. Freshman Brandon Smith stepped up to rush for 82 yards and score the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter. Coach Dan Lanning praised Smith’s readiness and growing role on the team.
After Northwestern extended its lead with a field goal early in the third quarter, Oregon responded with a pair of touchdowns from Raiola to Jamari Johnson and Raiola to Dakorien Moore, the latter a 75-yard strike that put the Ducks ahead for good at 34-26. Northwestern struggled offensively in the second half, scoring only six points and missing a critical 42-yard field goal attempt late in the game.
Oregon’s coach lauded the team’s overall performance as the closest to a complete game this season, though he noted there remain areas for improvement. Northwestern dropped to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten following the loss.
