The No. 20 Oregon Ducks are headed to Los Angeles for a top-25 matchup with No. 12 USC on Saturday, and the injury report is already shaping the conversation around the Big Ten opener.
Oregon’s second injury report ahead of the game brought no changes from Wednesday’s list, which means the Ducks are still dealing with a notable group of players on the out line. Under Big Ten rules, teams have to submit injury reports by 5 p.m. PT each day beginning three days before kickoff.
Receiver Jeremiah McClellan, running back Simeon Price, linebacker Brayden Platt and offensive lineman Trent Ferguson are all listed out. Dan Lanning already said McClellan will miss time with a broken foot, while Ferguson is likely done for the season because of a knee injury. Platt is out to start the year with an undisclosed injury, and Price was added to the out list on Wednesday.
Receiver Jalen Lott has not appeared yet this season because of a wrist injury. Tight end Jamari Johnson has missed the last two games, and Kendre Harrison left late in the Portland State game. Those absences have pushed Oregon deeper into its offense, and Lanning and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer have had to spread the workload around.
At tight end, the Ducks have leaned more on true freshman Harrison and redshirt freshman Andrew Olesh while Johnson has been sidelined. At receiver, true freshman Messiah Hampton has picked up more targets with Lott and McClellan unavailable. Offensive lineman Douglas Utu had injury concerns around the same time as Ferguson, but he played against Portland State and is not on the report.
That makes Oregon’s depth a major part of the equation in a game that could matter for the Ducks’ College Football Playoff hopes.
USC is carrying its own long injury list into Saturday. A starting center suffered a season-ending non-contact knee injury at the start of fall camp, knocking a key piece out before the season really got going.
Star defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart has not played this season because of a stress fracture, and Lincoln Riley said Tuesday that they’re “hopefully not too far away” when it comes to getting him back. Stewart was listed as questionable on the first two injury reports.
Freshman receiver Trent Mosley has been one of USC’s early bright spots, scoring four touchdowns in his first three games, but he missed the Rutgers game and Riley suggested he could be out beyond that. Mosley was listed as doubtful on the first two reports.
Nickel Alex Graham is another Trojan to watch. He was questionable on the first two injury reports after leaving in the first half of Week 3 and spending the entire second half on the sideline with his helmet on. Riley said on Trojans Live on Monday that he’s “pushing through.”
The only update on USC’s injury report from Wednesday is that running back Deshonne Redeaux moved from questionable to probable.
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USC Heads Into Oregon Showdown With One Key Availability Twist
USC heads into Saturdays matchup with Oregon carrying a familiar kind of late-week uncertainty, as the latest Big Ten availability report lists several Trojans across the out, doubtful and questionable designations. The game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum carries plenty of weight on its own, and the Ducks will be watching the injury picture as closely as anything else before kickoff on NBC.
Lincoln Riley also offered an update on defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart, saying the freshman is making progress in his recovery but still does not have a definite return date. For Oregon, that leaves one more variable in a game where the Ducks already know theyll need to prepare for a Trojans defense that could look different depending on how the final availability calls break. [Read more 🡒]
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With Kendre Harrison and Jamari Johnson both listed as questionable for Oregons matchup with USC, the Ducks may need to lean on a young tight end room in a game that already carries plenty of weight. Dan Lanning said he expects both to play, but the uncertainty keeps Andrew Olesh very much in the conversation, and the redshirt freshman has already shown he can handle real snaps with two starts this season.
Olesh has quietly turned himself into a credible next man up, with noticeable growth as both a pass blocker and a receiver. If the Ducks end up needing him in a bigger role against USC, it would be another meaningful step in his development and a chance to earn even more trust in one of Oregons biggest games of the season. [Read more 🡒]
USC Receiver Depth Suddenly Matters A Lot More Before Oregon
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Riley said he expects Anderson to keep improving and has confidence in what he can add moving forward, which matters for a USC offense that will want as many reliable options as possible against Oregon. The Ducks have a way of exposing any depth issues, so Andersons return to full work gives USC at least a chance to widen its passing game before one of the biggest tests on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]