Oregon’s path to the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff got a lot more interesting after the Ducks knocked off previously ranked Northwestern and then rolled former 10th-ranked Ohio State.
That surge has Dan Lanning’s team back in the national conversation at 6-3, but the Ducks still need plenty to break their way if they want to reach Indianapolis on Dec. 5 and stay alive for a spot in the 12-team playoff field.
The most obvious piece is still on Oregon itself. The Ducks have to avoid the Nov. 14 upset against Michigan, then keep moving through Michigan State and the regular-season finale against Washington in that order.
Beyond that, Oregon fans will have a long list of scoreboard-watching to do.
Inside the Big Ten, the biggest game to monitor on Veterans Day weekend is Illinois against still-undefeated UCLA on Nov. 13 at the Rose Bowl. If the Fighting Illini can stun the fourth-ranked Bruins, that would shake up the conference title race and give Oregon a better shot at sneaking into Lucas Oil Stadium, especially if the Ducks keep winning.
USC is another name to keep in mind. Oregon already owns the tiebreaker thanks to its Sept. 26 road win in Los Angeles, but the 18th-ranked Trojans still have the same number of Big Ten losses as Oregon.
If both teams finish conference play at 7-2, the Ducks get the edge. Oregon fans may also find themselves pulling for USC on Nov. 14 against No.
9 Indiana, since a Hoosiers loss would hit their title hopes too.
The Ducks’ rooting interests don’t stop there.
Colorado, sitting at 3-6, faces No. 14 Houston on Nov.
- The Buffaloes have slim bowl hopes, but an upset there would knock the 7-2 Cougars out of the playoff discussion and help Oregon’s case.
SMU also matters. The ACC representative takes on No. 13 Wake Forest on Nov. 14, and while Oregon may already have the strength-of-schedule argument over the Demon Deacons, the Mustangs still need to win to strengthen the Ducks’ playoff position.
Duke is another ACC team worth watching. The Blue Devils face former star quarterback Darian Mensah for the first time since his transfer to Miami, and a second regular-season loss for the Hurricanes would help Oregon.
Then there’s Baylor, which gets 10th-ranked BYU while Oregon is in Ann Arbor. If the Bears hand the Cougars their third loss, that would damage BYU’s CFP chances and help the Ducks.
Oklahoma State and Florida round out the list. The Cowboys, who broke Oregon fans’ hearts in week two during quarterback Drew Mestemaker’s breakout party, can still do the Ducks a favor by beating No.
12 Texas Tech. If Oregon wins and Texas Tech loses, the Ducks could potentially jump them.
Florida has a similar assignment against No. 11 Kentucky. That means Oregon fans would be rooting against former beloved offensive coordinator turned UK coach Will Stein, but this is the point in the season where the Ducks will take help wherever they can get it.
As it stands, Oregon’s playoff hopes get a boost if those eight teams come through in their matchups during week 11. ESPN’s Football Power Index is starting to like the Ducks more, too. Oregon sits third in FPI behind Indiana and OSU as of Nov. 13, with a 49.8 percent chance to win out, a 16 percent chance to win the Big Ten, and a 28.8 percent chance to make the playoff, which ranks fourth among Big Ten teams.
For now, though, the Ducks’ road is clear: beat Michigan, keep winning, and hope the rest of the board breaks the right way.
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USC Has A New QB Priority While Jayden Maiava Keeps Rolling
Jayden Maiava has given USC the kind of stability every coach wants at quarterback, and the numbers back it up. He is leading the Big Ten in passing yards and touchdowns this season, which has allowed the Trojans to keep leaning on his arm and his command of the offense while the rest of the roster settles in around him.
At the same time, USC is making sure the future does not sit idle. Freshman Jonas Williams is getting valuable work through scout team reps and limited game action, and both Lincoln Riley and Maiava have spoken positively about his potential. The Trojans are folding him into the culture now, even as the present still belongs to Maiava, which gives USC a clear short-term answer and a developing option down the road. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces One Big Concern Before Massive Indiana Showdown
A showdown with real Big Ten and College Football Playoff weight is waiting for USC on Saturday, and the Trojans arrive with a little extra time to get ready after their win over Ohio State. No. 18 USC heads into Bloomington to face No. 9 Indiana in a matchup that suddenly feels like more than just an early-season measuring stick, with both teams sitting in the kind of spot where one result can reshape the conversation around the conference race.
The Hoosiers have had two weeks to sort through some recent inconsistency, and the betting line reflects how tough this trip is expected to be for USC, with Indiana favored by 8.5 points. For the Trojans, the spotlight lands on Jayden Maiava and an offense that will have to deal with a defense that has given opponents plenty to think about, making this one of those games where preparation matters almost as much as execution. [Read more 🡒]
USC Stars In The NFL Suddenly Face Mounting Injury Questions
A familiar USC pipeline into the NFL has been hit with a wave of injury uncertainty, with several former Trojans suddenly appearing on practice reports across the league. Amon-Ra St. Brown is dealing with a rib injury for the Detroit Lions, while Houston Texans teammates Jaylin Smith and Woody Marks are also carrying injuries that have left their availability up in the air.
The most immediate concern may be in Seattle, where Sam Darnold is expected to miss another game as he works through a cracked rib and a quad injury. For USC fans tracking the programs presence on Sundays, the timing is frustrating, with multiple alumni now waiting on medical updates rather than preparing for full workloads. [Read more 🡒]