The early line is already leaning Oregon’s way, and that says plenty about how the Ducks and USC Trojans are being viewed heading into Sept. 26.
DraftKings Sportsbook has Oregon as a 5.5-point favorite even though the game is set for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where USC will have home-field advantage. It’s the clearest sign yet that oddsmakers see a narrow but real edge for the Ducks in one of the biggest early-season games on the 2026 schedule.
Both teams enter the fall with the same big goals: a Big Ten title and a trip to the College Football Playoff. That shared ambition is part of what makes this matchup so compelling, especially with both offenses bringing back their quarterbacks. USC’s Jayden Maiava and Oregon’s Dante Moore are back to steer two units that should put up points.
That makes the defensive side of the ball even more important. Whichever team can get more stops is likely to be the one walking away with the win.
USC’s offense should still be dangerous with Riley calling plays and Maiava at quarterback. The Trojans also return their entire starting offensive line, along with running backs Waymond Jordan and King Miller. The biggest question is at wide receiver, but USC has earned plenty of trust when it comes to developing playmakers on offense.
On the other side, Oregon’s secondary figures to be tested by Riley’s passing game, and the Ducks will also have to prove they can move the ball on the ground against USC.
The Trojans’ defense is a little harder to pin down with new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson taking over. Still, USC has pieces that could matter. Defensive linemen Jahkeem Stewart and Jide Abasiri are expected to be difference makers, and transfer cornerbacks Carrington Pierce and Jontez Williams join the secondary.
The matchup also carries a recent history that leans heavily toward Oregon. The Ducks beat USC in 2025 and effectively knocked the Trojans out of CFP contention with that loss at Autzen Stadium. Oregon also owns the recent edge in the series, going 8-2 over USC in the last 10 meetings dating back to 2009.
Overall, though, USC still leads the all-time series 39-24-2. The programs used to meet regularly in the Pac-10, but since the expanded Pac-12 and now the Big Ten, they’ve only played three times since the 2020 season. One of those games was the Pac-12 title game, which Oregon won.
There’s also a coaching wrinkle that stands out: Lincoln Riley has not beaten Dan Lanning since both arrived at their current jobs before the 2022 season. Lanning has guided Oregon to two straight CFP berths, including a Big Ten title in 2025, while Riley and USC have yet to reach the 12-team playoff field.
The teams will meet on Sept. 26, with kickoff time and TV information still to come.
In Other News...
Maddox Molony Just Put Oregon's Omaha Hopes In Limbo
Oregons infield picture got a lot more complicated when shortstop Maddox Molony came off the board in the 2026 MLB Draft, landing with the Detroit Tigers in the sixth round at No. 187 overall. Molony still has a year of college eligibility left, which keeps the Ducks in the conversation for one more run, but it also puts him in the middle of the familiar summer tug-of-war between a pro opportunity and a return to Eugene.
The timing matters because Oregon did not lose just one name on draft day. Second baseman Ryan Cooney went to the Blue Jays, commit Andruw Giles was taken by the Pirates, and pitcher Cal Scolari went to the White Sox, leaving the Ducks to sort through multiple draft decisions at once. Molonys choice will loom largest because of what he means to the lineup and because his path could help shape whether Oregons Omaha push stays intact or starts to thin before it even gets going. [Read more 🡒]
Why Koi Perich Could Change Oregon In More Ways Than One
Koi Perich arrives in Eugene with the kind of profile Oregon can use in more than one phase of the game. The former Minnesota safety is expected to matter on defense and on special teams, bringing a blend of vertical athleticism and ball disruption that should fit neatly into the Ducks plans. His ability to affect field position is part of the appeal, too, after showing real value as a returner.
Perichs college tape already points to a player who can change the feel of a game without needing a full workload to do it. He has been productive as a playmaker in the secondary and has also handled punt and kickoff returns, giving Oregon a versatile piece with a chance to influence games in ways that go beyond the usual safety responsibilities. The bigger question now is how quickly those traits translate once he gets fully plugged into the Ducks system. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Got A Ryan Cooney Update Fans Were Dreading
Ryan Cooneys draft stock finally turned into a real decision point for Oregon baseball, and it came with the kind of uncertainty Ducks fans were bracing for. The second baseman was taken in the third round of the 2026 MLB Draft, a sign that pro teams see enough upside to make the college-to-pro jump a legitimate option, even with more development still available in Eugene.
Cooney still has college eligibility left, which keeps Oregon in the conversation for now, but the clock is already ticking toward a July 27 decision. He is not the only Duck in that spot, either, with Cal Scolari and Maddox Molony also expected to hear their names called and then weigh the same choice between returning to campus and starting their pro careers. [Read more 🡒]