Oregon plays at Illinois on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, with Dylan Raiola expected to start at quarterback as Dante Moore recovers from a concussion.
Raiola Starts at Quarterback Against Illinois
Dante Moore remains sidelined as he works through the recovery protocol following a concussion sustained during a September 26 victory over USC, leaving the Oregon Ducks to turn to Dylan Raiola under center for their Big Ten road matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini. Moore’s exact return timeline remains unconfirmed.
NEW: Oregon QB Dylan Raiola is expected to start against Illinois on Saturday, @PeteNakos reports.https://t.co/5uy60U0MC5 pic.twitter.com/tte0q5LuIC
After stepping in for Moore against USC, Raiola delivered a stellar performance by completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. Struggles against UCLA led to a benching in favor of Brock Thomas. Thomas started the subsequent game against Nebraska, but Raiola re-entered in the fourth quarter to engineer a 17-14 comeback victory.
We kind of have that peace of mind going into the game.
Dylan Raiola, Oregon quarterback
Fans can catch Dante Moore and the Oregon Ducks on BTN on Saturday, October 24, 2026, as they strive to defeat the Illinois Fighting Illini. Prop bets for the contest have opened at 19 completions, 28 pass attempts, and 305 yards passing for Moore. Across his last five contests, Dante has produced 62 first downs through the air, averaging 18.6 completions per contest out of a total of 138 passing attempts while throwing a touchdown pass on 8.0 percent of his throws.
Oregon sits at 139.7 rushing yards per outing and has totaled 141 passing completions for the 2026 season. The program ranks 28th nationally in touchdown percentage at 7.4 percent, with a total of 2,536 yards. The team averages 283.0 yards through the air per game, 36.3 passing attempts, and 422.7 total yards per game. Defensively, Oregon has surrendered just 14.5 points per game over its last two contests.
Series History and Military Appreciation in Champaign
Oregon holds a 3-1 lead in the all-time series, winning the past three matchups, including a 38-9 victory in Eugene on October 26, 2024, as Saturday’s kickoff marks the first time Oregon has traveled to Champaign since 1993, and only the third time in program history that the Ducks have played an away game against the Illini. Since joining the Big Ten in 2024, the Ducks boast a 19-2 conference record, including a pristine 10-0 mark on the road. Among all programs nationwide, Georgia leads at .889, while Oregon’s 15-2 road record since 2023 is the best in college football and its .864 road winning percentage dating back to 2022 shares the second-best spot in the country with Ohio State.
Illinois enters the contest hosting its annual Military Appreciation Game, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. Saturday marks the fifth meeting between the Fighting Illini and Ducks in an overall series dating back to 1970. The Illini enter with a 3-3 record overall and a 1-2 mark in Big Ten play under head coach Bret Bielema, whose career record stands at 137-87 across 18 seasons and 40-29 over six seasons with Illinois.
Roster Pressures and Offensive Adjustments for Both Programs
Illinois has lost key personnel, including Ca’Lil Valentine against Purdue and quarterback Katin Houser against Michigan State. Oregon lost quarterback Dante Moore against USC and will be without Evan Stewart against Illinois following an incident handled internally by head coach Dan Lanning. Oregon kicker Gage Hurych has yet to miss a kick in 2026 on the special teams front, maintaining a 100 percent success rate on the season by going 9-for-9 on field goals and 19-for-19 on extra points.
Defensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho was a surprise addition to the injury report according to additional injury and roster updates from Eugene, while linebacker Brayden Platt remains limited due to an injury he felt in the spring. Wide receiver Dillon Gresham has also been sidelined since suffering a neck injury during fall camp a year ago.
Oregon and Illinois Face Playoff Hurdles Before Big Ten Network Broadcast
Oregon carries a slim margin for error after suffering early-season losses to Oklahoma State and UCLA with ESPN’s FPI giving the team a 12.9 percent chance at reaching the College Football Playoff. Illinois holds a 27.4 percent probability to secure a bowl bid as it plays the back half of the Big Ten slate.
The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. CT start time and will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network, with Chris Vosters handling play-by-play duties and Jake Butt providing analysis. Fans across the state can also tune into the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network radio call featuring Brian Barnhart on play-by-play, Carey Davis as analyst, and Kevin Mitchell reporting from the sideline.
The Ducks look ahead to the remainder of their conference schedule following their matchup against the Fighting Illini.
Oregon’s defense has allowed just 29 total points over its last two outings, while Illinois has generated just five sacks on the year and two by defensive linemen within their new 3-3-5 scheme.
Illinois has lost only four turnovers this season, tying for 15th-best nationally, and holds an 18-1 record when forcing at least one turnover over the last three seasons. The Illini rank seventh in fewest penalties per game at 4.2 and ninth in penalty yards at 38.7 per contest.
Will Oregon’s defense maintain its recent form against the Illini?