The Oregon Ducks are set to be back in action following the bye as Oregon faces off against the UCLA Bruins in a top 25 clash. This is far from the UCLA team everyone has seen in recent years, as Dan Lanning has compared Bob Chesney's group to last year's Indiana. After knocking off USC in a dramatic game, Oregon has built up a ton of momentum, but it doesn't come without questions.
Dan Lanning's group still has a lot to figure out for the rest of the season while mixing in the trouble of injuries. Coming into the week, 3 questions loom over a pivotal matchup with UCLA that could decide both teams' fate in the race for the College Football Playoff.
3 burning questions to open UCLA week
Who's going to be at Quarterback for Oregon?
Coming into game week, the biggest question in Eugene is regarding who will be under center when Oregon's offense takes the field. Dante Moore exited the USC game with a concussion, and given the fact that the timeline for recovery is different for everyone, it's impossible to predict when he may be back. After Dante Moore left the game, Dylan Raiola proved why he was such a valuable addition this offseason, even with a potential top 5 pick starting at QB.
Dylan Raiola was everything you could ask for in relief, completing 19 of 25 attempts for 289 yards and a pair of touchdowns without turning the ball over. Raiola has shown he's more than capable of leading the offense in a big game, and if he has to start vs. UCLA, Oregon's offense should still be able to score at a high rate.
Did the Ducks finally find their starting offensive line?
Lost in all the emotions of the win over USC, and Dante Moore's injury was the play of the offensive line. Blocking for two different quarterbacks, the Ducks didn't allow a sack while opening up holes for the backs to average 4.2 yards per carry. It appears that Ziyare Addison, Dave Iuli, Iapani Laloulu, Kawika Rogers, and Fox Crader are the group for the rest of the season, barring injury.
Can the safety play improve after the bye?
The most disappointing position group through 4 games has been Oregon's safety play, which was supposed to be a strength of this team. High profile transfer addition Koi Perich was expected to be one of the best safeties in the country, but he's looked lost in coverage at times while struggling in run support. Returning starter Aaron Flowers has also been up-and-down, adding to the issues in the back end.
Coming out of the bye, you'd hope that the Ducks were able to clean up some of the issues that have been plaguing the duo as Oregon's defense has started to round into form. The Ducks have plenty of talent behind the duo with 5-star freshman Jett Washington, veteran Peyton Woodyard, and former top recruit Trey McNutt. If the duo can't start playing better, it may be time to start opening up competition as the play has been abysmal.
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