Oregon’s trip to Los Angeles turned into one of those nights that keeps swinging until the final blows land, and the Ducks walked out with a win over USC after surviving injury, trading punches and closing the door in the fourth quarter.
The game opened as a defensive fight before the biggest scare of the night hit Oregon when Dante Moore was knocked out on a dirty hit and taken off the field in an ambulance. Dylan Raiola stepped in and immediately settled things down, throwing a touchdown on his first pass. From there, the second half turned into a scoring barrage on both sides, with Raiola and Oregon’s star-studded backfield pushing the Ducks down the field while USC quarterback Jayden Maiava answered for the Trojans.
The turning point came in the fourth quarter, when Oregon came up with a crucial stop on fourth down and followed it with a touchdown that put USC away for good. It was the kind of all-hands effort that rarely happens without multiple players delivering big nights, and Oregon had plenty of those.
At quarterback, the Ducks earned the top mark. Moore looked sharp before leaving, completing 8-of-10 passes for 77 yards while leading an early drive.
Raiola then took over and finished 19-of-25 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, looking calm under pressure and delivering several throws off his back foot. He was especially effective on third down and made his first true relief appearance count in a major way.
The running backs didn’t pile up huge numbers, but they kept grinding. Oregon finished with 138 rushing yards on 33 carries, a 4.2-yard average that wasn’t quite where the Ducks wanted it to be.
Still, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. kept wearing on USC, and Hill made his biggest impact in the red zone with two touchdowns. He also produced the best receiving day of his career, catching four passes for 105 yards, including a 62-yard grab early in the third quarter that helped jump-start Oregon’s offense after halftime.
The receiving group delivered all night. Jamari Johnson led the way with seven catches for 119 yards and quickly became Raiola’s favorite option.
Evan Stewart added seven receptions and a touchdown, while Messiah Hampton chipped in five catches for 40 yards. The biggest moment belonged to Dakorien Moore, who went up to snag the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter on an under-thrown ball.
Up front, the offensive line was solid without being dominant. Oregon had trouble creating consistent room in the run game, especially as the second half wore on, but the pass protection held up well enough to let Raiola work. There were moments when both quarterbacks had to escape pressure, but there were also stretches when Raiola had time to stand in and find open targets.
Defensively, Oregon’s line did enough to keep USC from taking over on the ground. King Miller found some room late and finished with 13 carries for 74 yards, but the Trojans still managed only 3.6 yards per rush. Matayo Uiagalelei and Bear Alexander each got to the quarterback, and the Ducks’ front four generally won the battle up front.
At linebacker, Devon Jackson kept building on his breakout with a game-high 11 tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass deflection. He was everywhere, stopping both USC backs and covering ground in the middle of the field.
Dylan Williams and Jerry Mixon added three tackles apiece. Jackson’s rise has become a major plus for Oregon, though the Ducks are still waiting for either Williams or Mixon to separate themselves.
The secondary had its hands full with Maiava, who finished over 300 passing yards as too many windows opened over the middle. Even so, Oregon’s corners won more than their share of battles on the outside and broke up several throws in tight coverage. Safety Koi Perich also turned in his best game as a Duck, finishing with seven tackles and sealing the win with an interception in the end zone.
Special teams stayed steady. Gage Hurych made a pair of field goals, and Bailey Ettridge continued to show off his leg by averaging 47 yards on two punts. There were no major mistakes and no headline-grabbing splash plays, but the unit did its job.
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Oregon Suddenly Has A Bigger Quarterback Question After Beating USC
Dylan Raiolas primetime debut gave Oregon a timely burst of stability in a game that briefly tilted toward uncertainty. After starting quarterback Dante Moore left with an injury, Raiola stepped in and delivered a poised performance, completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions as the Ducks pulled away for a 41-27 win over USC.
Dan Lanning came away impressed with the way Raiola handled the moment, especially the confidence he showed in a spotlight game that could have unraveled quickly. Still, the bigger question for Oregon now is Moores health, and the Ducks will spend their bye week sorting out how serious the injury is and what it might mean for the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
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Mariota completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns, a line that will resonate with Ducks fans who still keep one eye on his NFL stops. Seattle got big production from Sam Darnold in his return from injury, as he threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns, but also turned it over twice, leaving Mariota and Washington with the final edge in a high-scoring finish. [Read more 🡒]