EUGENE, Ore. – Northwestern had just pulled within a point when Dylan Raiola and Dakorien Moore took the game away again. Their 75-yard touchdown connection gave Oregon breathing room in the fourth quarter and left the Wildcats chasing a lead they had spent most of the afternoon protecting.
The Ducks beat No. 20 Northwestern 34-26 at Autzen Stadium on Saturday, October 31, rallying from 14 points down to end the visitors’ four-game winning streak. Raiola completed 22 of 31 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns as Oregon improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten.
Northwestern fell to 6-2 and 3-2 in conference play. Its early advantage had been built by quarterback Aidan Chiles, who finished with 281 passing yards, 93 rushing yards and a touchdown in each category. Those numbers explained how the Wildcats established control. The second-half scoring explained why they could not keep it.
The defining exchange came after Jackson Kleather’s 49-yard field goal cut Oregon’s lead to 27-26. On the next offensive snap, Raiola found Moore for the long score. The published play-by-play records a one-play, 75-yard drive that used only 11 seconds, an abrupt answer to Northwestern’s attempt to steady the game.
That touchdown did not remove the Wildcats’ opportunity to tie, but it changed the requirement. A field goal was no longer enough. Northwestern needed a touchdown and a two-point conversion, while Oregon’s defense needed to prevent the sustained drives that had caused so much trouble before halftime.
Northwestern coach David Braun acknowledged the result in the university’s game report. “Ultimately, they played a better game today and earned a win,” he said. “Lots of lessons here for our football team.”
For Raiola, the performance extended a change already visible in Oregon’s win over Nebraska two weeks earlier. The Eastern Herald’s report on his relief appearance against his former team described how he replaced Brock Thomas and helped the Ducks win 17-14. Against Northwestern, his passing supplied the larger plays Oregon needed to recover from a difficult opening half.
The Wildcats scored on their first four possessions. Kleather’s first 37-yard field goal opened the scoring, and Chiles then found Griffin Wilde for a 64-yard touchdown. Northwestern had a 10-0 lead before Oregon put points on the board.
Wilde remained Chiles’ biggest downfield threat, finishing with five catches for 146 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Komolafe added 97 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches. With Chiles also carrying the ball effectively, Northwestern had several ways to advance, rather than depending on one receiver or a single explosive play.
Chiles’ five-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter pushed the lead to 20-6. Oregon’s response before the break proved important: Raiola connected with Moore for a 10-yard score, reducing the halftime deficit to 20-13 instead of allowing the Wildcats to carry their full two-touchdown cushion into the locker room.
Northwestern briefly restored a double-digit advantage after halftime. Braydon Brus forced a fumble on Oregon’s opening possession, and Kleather converted a 49-yard field goal for a 23-13 lead. But the takeaway produced three points rather than seven, leaving Oregon within reach.
Raiola answered with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson. Brandon Smith then finished another Oregon drive with a two-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, putting the Ducks ahead 27-23. Smith’s score came on fourth-and-goal, turning a short-yardage decision into Oregon’s first lead.
The Wildcats responded with Kleather’s second 49-yarder, his fourth successful field goal of the game. The kicking kept Northwestern close but also showed the difference between the teams after halftime: Oregon scored three touchdowns, while the Wildcats managed two field goals.
Northwestern still had opportunities after Moore’s long touchdown, but Oregon forced the visitors to punt and kept the lead intact. The Wildcats’ official recap credited a crucial Raiola third-down conversion in the closing sequence. It did not provide the distance of that conversion.
Brus finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss and the forced fumble. Alijah Jones led Northwestern with eight tackles. Their individual contributions helped create chances, but neither the early lead nor the third-quarter takeaway stopped Oregon from taking control of the scoring.
The Wildcats return home to face Iowa at Ryan Field on November 7, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central. Braun said the defeat would sting, but added, “We better show up Monday and get to work.”
