The Oregon Ducks are coming off the biggest win of their young season, and they got rewarded with a well-timed bye week as a result. With a 41-27 victory over the USC Trojans, the Ducks improved to 3-1 on the season and rank No. 15 in the nation.
While you could argue that it would be beneficial to keep that momentum rolling and get back on the field in Week 5, the emotional toll of Saturday’s win — with the rivalry and the Dante Moore injury — was enough that I feel as if everyone involved could use a break.
They got it, and we got one as well. Instead of diving into the Week 6 top-25 matchup against the UCLA Bruins, we’re using this week to take stock of how we got here and what has transpired over the last month. In our roundtable this week, we look back on the USC result, assess what’s taken place so far this season, and project ahead with a look at what needs to improve.
Here is our roundtable for the bye week.
USC Takeaways
Question: That was an incredible win vs. USC, and there are many things to discuss. We’ll start here: What surprised you most? There were a million questions going into that game, so what surprised or impressed you most?
Zachary Neel: I thought the explosiveness and creativity are what I will take away from this game the most in the end. Yes, the team’s ability to rally after the Dante Moore injury is huge, and speaks volumes about this team and the culture, but as far as lasting takeaways and things that can be carried forward, I thought the Ducks showed some great things in the rushing/screen game that broke a lot of tendencies and will be big over the course of the season.
Bjorn Bergstrom: I was most impressed with the team’s ability to respond in the face of adversity. It would’ve been understandable for the Ducks to wilt a bit and lose some energy in the wake of Moore’s injury, but that’s not at all what happened. Instead of the at-times lifeless, sort of “too cool” mentality, Oregon completely locked in and focused on the job at hand without worrying about the outside noise and pressure.
Logan Brown: Oregon’s offensive line played pretty well, I thought. USC has playmakers up front defensively, and holding the Trojans without a sack was impressive. The play at the goal line left something to be desired, but the tackles got to work to spring big runs on the edges, and the ability to get out and block downfield on screen passes was great to see.
Dante Moore
Question: The QB position is obviously getting the most attention. Let’s start with Dante Moore. What are your thoughts on “the hit,” the antics afterward, and the future in Eugene for Moore?
Zachary Neel: I’m not going to say anything that hasn’t been said already. It was a terrifying play to be there in person for, and for the players to come back and play just minutes later is incredible, showing the mental fortitude that these athletes have. Who knows when Moore will return to the field, but here’s to hoping that he looks like his old self after the fact, and that there aren’t lasting impacts here.
Bjorn Bergstrom: Everything about it was striking, and it was difficult to articulate everything that happened within that 3.5-hour window. Stephens deserves all the punishment that’s coming his way – probably more, to be honest. While Raiola flashed his talent and mental makeup, the job is Moore’s once he’s fully healthy — and I mean fully healthy. There’s no reason to rush back with concussions in the first place, and much less when there is a very capable backup.
Logan Brown: I’ve seen the talk about how it was a late slide from Moore, and he should’ve protected himself better. In my opinion, the celebrating afterward is all the evidence you need to see to know that he was never going to try to pull off making the hit. As for Moore, I know he plans to return, but with Lanning’s statement about using “an abundance of caution to ensure we make the best decisions for Dante and his future,” I worry we may not see Moore again. In hindsight, it looks like a mistake to have passed on the draft, especially if he misses several games. Hoping for the best, but I don’t think it is as cut and dry that he will return soon as some may think.
Dylan Raiola
Question: Dylan Raiola also deserves a lot of attention. What can you say about what he did on Saturday and how he rose to the occasion?
Zachary Neel: You can’t praise Raiola enough for his resilience and poise in this situation. It was an impossible task at hand to come in cold and try to rally a team that was visibly shaken, but Raiola did that and played at an elite level, showing just how far he’s grown throughout his college career. While I hope Dante Moore comes back quickly and gets healthy, I can comfortably say that I am incredibly excited to see what Raiola can do in the meantime.
Bjorn Bergstrom: My goodness, his poise and composure in what ended up being Oregon’s most important early-season game in years was as impressive as it gets. He looked better than he ever looked at Nebraska, showing in real time that the blueprint of being the backup quarterback at Oregon for a year is working wonders in his continued development. Let me be clear, I believe the Ducks are better with Moore under center, but Raiola rifled some throws and made some risky, high-upside plays that Moore simply doesn’t even think about doing that ended up working out. It got my mind wondering about how good Raiola can be in 2027 and on, for sure.
Logan Brown: Raiola looked like a guy who has been there and done that, because he has. I think his connection with Messiah Hampton is particularly interesting, given how much they have likely connected on the second-team offense in practice. Raiola handled the situation with Moore and the game itself with incredible poise, and most importantly, he looked like a leader that players gravitated toward. As long as he keeps making good decisions and doesn’t play hero ball, Oregon should be just fine with Raiola.
Defensive Questions
Question: There are still a lot of questions surrounding this team, particularly the defense. What do you need to see continue to improve on this side of the ball?
Zachary Neel: I think the defensive line took a big step forward this past week, and a lot of that is due to the emergence of A’Mauri Washington, who appears to be healthy once again. As long as that continues, the Ducks will improve, but in order for them to reach the ceiling that we all projected at the start of the year, the safety play needs to get much, much better.
Bjorn Bergstrom: I’m not quite sure whether it’s scheme or personnel, but the Ducks’ secondary just hasn’t been up to par from where it was a season ago. Dillon Thieneman made a huge impact and covered up some warts, but I didn’t think the secondary would be this big of an issue. At this time last year, Oregon had the top-ranked pass defense; through four games in 2026, they rank 98th.
Logan Brown: The safeties need to play better, both in coverage and against the run. I am a little surprised we haven’t seen more of a rotation there, with guys like Trey McNutt, Jett Washington and Peyton Woodyard seemingly ready for bigger roles. Koi Perich has frequently been used near the box and blown assignments against tight ends, while Aaron Flowers doesn’t have the best instincts, and both of them have poor pursuit angles. I think it’s time for a shake-up.
Expectations From Here
Question: The swing of expectations so far this season has been pretty crazy. It started with “Championship or Bust” and quickly fell to “I don’t know if Oregon makes the playoffs.” Where are you at now after this big win over USC?
Zachary Neel: I almost want to wait a week before answering this question, to be honest. Oregon showed how good they can be against USC, but they’ve also displayed a lot of inconsistency so far this year. What they look like against UCLA is going to be very telling, and if they can look dominant once again, I think a deep playoff run truly is in the picture. However, I’m not confident enough to predict that just yet.
Bjorn Bergstrom: When looking at the big picture, the disappointment of potentially not meeting expectations will still be from a national title basis for the Ducks, not just making the CFP and losing early in the tournament. So, it’s still championship or bust — and always will be. Anything less is disappointment.
Logan Brown: I’ve said it before, but I don’t think the expectations have changed that much. Oregon can get in as a two-loss team. That loss is most likely against Ohio State, but if the Ducks win that game and lose elsewhere, I’m not worried, because the Ducks will have plenty to point to on their resume, especially if Oklahoma State keeps winning. I think the odds of winning a title are lower, but Oregon really needs to find a way back to the semifinals. It’s not impossible.
UCLA Look-Ahead
Question: A quick lookahead to UCLA — what is the biggest key in that game for the Ducks to keep the momentum rolling and leave with another top-25 victory?
Zachary Neel: I think Oregon’s offense needs to continue to roll. UCLA is going to put up points, and their running game will be one of the best that the Ducks see all year, but so long as Raiola can continue to operate the offense at a high success rate and Oregon can put points on the board, I think they get out of here with a win.
Bjorn Bergstrom: Limit the damage in the UCLA backfield of Nico Iamaleava and Wayne Knight. It’s difficult to find a more explosive duo in college football, as both are playing the best football of their careers through four games. Knight ran for 110 yards and had a 49-yarder against Oregon in the 2025 CFP with James Madison, and he now has a much stronger offensive line to open up holes. He has the definition of game-breaking speed.
Logan Brown: Stop Wayne Knight. Dan Lanning said he thinks Knight is as good a running back as there is in college football right now, and he already has 445 yards rushing and nine touchdowns this season. Knight rushed for 110 yards against the Ducks last season with James Madison, and he is now the heartbeat of UCLA’s offense. If the Ducks can force Nico Iamaleava to beat them, even though I think he’s an underrated quarterback in the conference, that’s how Oregon can control the pace and win.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Ducks Wire Roundtable: Assessing Oregon after the first 4 games