USC’s first Big Ten schedule has plenty of landmines, but the quarterback slate might be the most demanding part of all. The Trojans are staring down a run of elite passers, and four names stand out above the rest.
The headliner is Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, who comes to the Coliseum on Oct. 31 for Ohio State’s first visit there since 2008. Sayin was a Heisman finalist in 2025, and even though his worst two games last season came in the Buckeyes’ final two contests against Indiana and Miami, he still enters this season with plenty of buzz.
The Southern California native completed 78.9 percent of his throws last season, setting an NCAA record for the highest single-season completion percentage. He may not have the strongest arm, but he’s sharp in the quick game, throws with anticipation, and puts a nice touch on the deep ball.
Add in Ohio State’s receiver talent, especially two-time All-American Jeremiah Smith and five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr., and the challenge only grows.
Then there’s Oregon’s Dante Moore, who passed on a projected top-two NFL Draft slot in April to return for another year. The former five-star recruit brings effortless velocity, easy arm talent, and the kind of calm presence that lets an offense stay on schedule.
A lot of draft evaluators see the 6-foot-3, 215-pound redshirt junior as the best quarterback in the country entering the season. But there are questions, too.
Moore had trouble when pressured last year, including both losses to Indiana in 2025, and Oregon’s offensive line is still a question mark. Even so, the Ducks have plenty around him, with Evan Stewart back after missing all of last season injured, plus Dakorien Moore, Jeremiah McClellan, and tight end Jamari Johnson.
USC gets that matchup early, when Oregon visits Southern California on Sept. 26.
Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. brings a different kind of problem. He’s the most electric quarterback USC will face this season, and the Trojans’ ability to handle a true dual-threat player will be a major storyline when the Huskies come to town on Oct.
- Williams is only 5-foot-11 and 191 pounds, but he’s a dangerous runner and can also hit explosive plays from the pocket with his live arm.
Last season, he accounted for more than 3,600 yards of offense and 31 total touchdowns while completing 69.5 percent of his passes. Like Sayin and Moore, he now has a full year as a starter behind him.
Indiana no longer has Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who was taken No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders after leading the Hoosiers to a national championship. In his place is TCU transfer Josh Hoover, and USC will see him in Bloomington on Nov. 14 in what shapes up as a critical Big Ten game.
Hoover was supposed to face the Trojans in the Alamo Bowl to close out 2025, but he entered the portal before that matchup could happen. A three-year starter at TCU, Hoover brings a huge sample size, with nearly 10,000 passing yards and 71 touchdowns to his name.
He’ll also have two elite targets at Indiana in Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh.
In Other News...
Oregon Just Took Another Painful Loss On The Offensive Line Trail
Oregon took another hit on the offensive line trail as four-star Caden Moss chose Ohio State over the Ducks and several other major programs, adding more frustration to a recruiting pursuit that has already featured plenty of national competition. Moss is ranked No. 43 overall and No. 5 among interior offensive linemen in the 2027 class by Rivals, which makes him one of the more important names Oregon had been chasing at a position where the Ducks are always trying to stay ahead of the curve.
Even with the miss, Oregons class on the line is hardly empty, with four offensive linemen already committed and the Ducks still sitting near the top of the recruiting race nationally. The bigger question now is how they respond in the next few days, with four-star Gecova Doyal set to announce his commitment on July 1 and another chance to shore up a board that has taken a few swings lately. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Approach With This 2029 Target Should Grab Ducks Fans Attention
Oregons early look at Makai Buchanan is the kind of recruiting note Ducks fans have learned to file away. The 2029 athlete from Victorville, California, already has a scholarship offer from the Ducks after a productive freshman season at Victor Valley High School, and his profile fits neatly into the sort of long-range talent identification that has helped keep Oregon near the top of the national recruiting conversation.
The part worth watching is how the Ducks handle the timeline from here. Buchanan has said communication with running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples has been limited, with Oregon taking more of a wait-and-see approach while it works through the 2028 class first. For a program that has stacked highly regarded recent classes and just added another notable piece in 2027, it is a reminder that Oregon is not just chasing the obvious names right away, it is mapping out the next wave before everyone else catches up. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Loaded Defense Will Be Judged By These Quarterback Matchups
Oregons defense enters 2026 with a rare kind of continuity up front, returning its entire starting defensive line and adding safety Koi Perch through the transfer portal. That gives the Ducks a chance to lean on experience and depth in a conference season that will ask plenty of the back end, especially with a schedule that figures to put them in front of some of the Big Ten and national names that matter most.
Julian Sayin, Jayden Maiava, Bryce Underwood and Demond Williams Jr. all represent different kinds of problems, from seasoned production to young talent that can change a game quickly. The appeal for Oregon is obvious: if the line can win early and the secondary can hold up, the Ducks may be built to handle that quarterback gauntlet better than most. The question is how much room those passers will get to test just how loaded this defense really is. [Read more 🡒]