Oregon is expected to start quarterback Dylan Raiola against Illinois on Saturday, according to On3's Pete Nakos. The decision comes after Raiola entered last week's game versus Nebraska in the fourth quarter and guided the Ducks to a 17-14 win. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 59 yards and threw the game-winning touchdown to tight end Jamari Johnson with less than a minute remaining.

Raiola's performance against the Cornhuskers followed a difficult outing versus UCLA, when he completed just six of 19 attempts for 43 yards and threw two interceptions while also losing a fumble. Those struggles contributed to head coach Dan Lanning's decision to start Brock Thomas against Nebraska. Thomas completed nine of 20 passes for 54 yards and threw an interception before Raiola took over.

Raiola previously produced a solid performance versus USC, completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns after replacing Dante Moore, who suffered a concussion on September 26. Moore remains unavailable for the Fighting Illini matchup, with Oregon's latest depth chart listing him as out.

However, Moore's recovery appears to be moving in the right direction, as he has reportedly increased his practice repetitions in recent weeks. The 21-year-old's return timeline remains uncertain as the team continues to prioritize his recovery.

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So far this season, Raiola has completed 64.4% of his passes, recording 515 passing yards and six touchdowns, alongside two interceptions. His latest opportunity comes as the Ducks look to improve their 4-2 record and remain in contention for the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Oregon faces an Illinois team that enters the contest with a 3-3 overall record and a 1-2 mark in conference play. The Ducks will travel to Champaign for the game, which is scheduled to begin at noon PT on Saturday and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.