USC walked into Saturday expecting more from a game that had every reason to feel manageable. Instead, the Trojans left the Coliseum with a 41-27 loss to Oregon and a head coach trying to frame the night as something other than a setback.
Lincoln Riley’s team entered as the No. 12 team in the country, favored at home against Dan Lanning’s No. 20 Ducks.
Oregon had already taken a loss this season to the Oregon State Cowboys, and the Ducks were not exactly at full strength either. Their starting quarterback, Dante Moore, was knocked out by USC’s Desman Stephens II on a targeting play with 9:45 left in the second quarter.
Moore had to leave on a cart, while Stephens celebrated the hit like he had just won the Super Bowl.
Even with all of that, USC still couldn’t turn the game its way. Riley’s postgame message leaned heavily on what his team did not do.
“We didn’t get run out of the stadium. There’s a lot of good on that tape. You don’t have a chance to win a game like that if you don’t do some things pretty well," he said.
That kind of response fit the larger picture around USC right now. The Trojans have fallen out of the Big Ten title race, and Riley still has not taken them to the College Football Playoff, even with the expanded 12-team field.
Against Lanning, he is now 0-3. Against ranked opponents at USC, he is 6-14.
For a program that keeps looking for a clean breakthrough, the night and the explanation both landed the same way: flat.
In Other News...
Oregon Freshman Turned A Scary USC Moment Into A Statement Win
At the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Oregon freshman receiver Messiah Hampton found himself at the center of a tense moment after USC linebacker Desman Stephens II hit quarterback Dante Moore in the head. Hampton reacted angrily and went straight at Stephens before teammates, referees and coach Dan Lanning stepped in to separate the sides, underscoring just how heated the game had become in a hurry.
Moore stayed on the field briefly before leaving in an ambulance, turning what had already been a physical contest into a far more serious sideline scene for the Ducks to absorb. Even with that scare hanging over the night, Oregon found a way to keep playing and rallied for the win behind backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, turning a frightening moment into one the Ducks could carry as proof of their resilience. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Faces A Bigger Dante Moore Question Than Just His Injury
Dan Lannings latest update on Dante Moore at least offered some relief after the scare that forced the Oregon quarterback to be stretchered off the field on a targeting play. The coach said Moore is healthy and still being evaluated, but no timetable for a return has been announced, leaving the Ducks with more uncertainty than they would like at the most important position on the field.
Dylan Raiola has already shown Oregon it can survive a sudden change behind center, stepping in and helping lead the Ducks to a victory over USC after Moore went down. Even so, the bigger question now is not just when Moore can get back, but how Oregon manages the quarterback room if this situation stretches on longer than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Sees One Defensive Problem Oregon Must Fix Fast
Dan Lanning liked enough of what Oregon showed in its win over USC to feel encouraged, but the tape still left him with a clear area to clean up. The Ducks did a good job limiting third-down conversions, yet the defense gave up too many explosive plays, especially through the air, which made the game feel far more open than Oregon would have preferred.
The secondary had moments to build on, but the safeties were also exposed in coverage as USC hit on multiple long receptions. With the bye week now arriving, Oregon has a little extra time to tighten those issues before turning its attention to UCLA, and the next stretch will show how quickly the Ducks can turn that concern into a fix. [Read more 🡒]