No. 12 USC gets a huge chance to reset its season Saturday when No. 20 Oregon rolls into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a 4:30 PT kickoff on NBC.
This one carries weight everywhere you look. Lincoln Riley against Dan Lanning.
Jayden Maiava against Dante Moore. USC against Oregon, two West Coast powers whose series dates back to 1915 and has produced plenty of familiar pain for the Trojans lately.
Oregon has taken seven of the last eight meetings, including last November in Eugene, and it brings back much of the same core from that game.
Riley pointed directly to that continuity when talking about the Ducks.
“Same quarterback, a lot of the same receivers, they got a very good tight end, good offensive line,” Riley said. “We know obviously about their defensive line, a lot of those guys returning. A couple of new faces in the linebacking core and secondary.
“It’s a good football team, very talented football team. They got some experience back.”
Oregon has not lived up to the billing that followed it into the season. The Ducks survived Boise State in Week 1, then dropped a Week 2 game to Oklahoma State.
But that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. They still have talent across the roster, and they still look like a team capable of hitting USC with everything at once.
The Trojans, meanwhile, are trying to shake off a flat showing against a winless Rutgers team. Defensive issues have surfaced again under new coordinator Gary Patterson, and injuries have started to stack up on both sides of the ball.
None of that changes the assignment in front of them. This is the kind of game USC has to have.
Maiava gives the Trojans a high-end answer on offense, and King Miller has added some needed balance by getting the run game moving over the last two contests. USC has also poured a lot into its defensive line, and that group needs to show it can be the difference in a game like this.
Home field has looked different for USC under Riley, and that matters here too. The question is whether that edge shows up Saturday night at the Coliseum.
The Trojans will also have plenty of eyes on the recruiting side of things. Of their 14 commitments in the 2027 class, 12 are expected to be in attendance. Lone Star (Texas) four-star quarterback Trey Wright, the lone USC commit in the 2028 class, will be there as well.
Among the non-committed visitors, McEachern (Ga.) five-star Casey Barner stands out. The No. 1 safety in the 2028 class has more than 50 offers. Pickerington North (Ohio) four-star safety Geo McKnight is also making the trip.
Santa Margarita (Calif.) 2028 four-star cornerback Ca’ron “Prime” Williams will be back at the Coliseum for the second time this season. He’s joined by a strong group of 2030 prospects from his school: linebacker Ayden Steen, defensive end KJ Herndon, receiver Kiyan Callis and athlete Jayden Jack, all of whom received USC offers in eighth grade.
The visitor list also includes several other Trinity League names: Mater Dei (Calif.) 2028 four-star safety Ace Leutele, Orange Lutheran (Calif.) 2028 four-star safety Chauncey Washington II, St. John Bosco (Calif.) 2028 four-star IOL Elisha Mueller and 2029 safety Darnell Lacy Jr.
Other notable visitors expected Saturday are Tustin (Calif.) 2028 four-star receiver Hayden Koo, Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) 2028 four-star safety Terence Parsee, Garces Memorial (Calif.) 2028 four-star safety Jackson Parker, Capitol (Idaho) 2028 four-star receiver Quincey Clay, Grant Union (Calif.) three-star linebacker Julian Bruno and Jeanerette (La.) 2029 offensive lineman Blair Lewis.
In Other News...
USC Is Hiding A Coliseum Twist Before Oregon Arrives
With Oregon coming to the Coliseum, one small pregame detail has become a talking point around USC: the tunnel captain has not been announced yet. The Trojans usually reveal that honor a few days before kickoff, so the silence has only added to the buzz around who will lead the team out for one of the seasons biggest home dates.
Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll are among the names drawing attention because of what they mean to the program, but USC has not made anything public. For a matchup with so much weight attached to it, even the walkout has taken on extra meaning, and the final choice should say plenty about how the school wants this night framed before the game even starts. [Read more 🡒]
USC Stars In The NFL Are Breaking Out And Breaking Down
Drake London gave USC fans a reminder of what elite receiver play can look like on a big stage Thursday night, hauling in nine passes for 194 yards against Green Bay. The former Trojans standout has continued to grow into a featured role with the Atlanta Falcons, and nights like this only deepen the sense that USCs receiver pipeline is producing players who can make an immediate impact in the NFL.
Elsewhere, the picture around USC alums is a little less celebratory. Baltimore Ravens rookie JaKobi Lane is on injured reserve after breaking his wrist in his NFL debut, while Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is working through a minor hamstring injury that could sideline him on a week-to-week basis. For a program that prides itself on sending stars to Sundays, the early-season snapshot is a mix of breakout production and the kind of health issues that can interrupt even the most promising start. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Rutgers Rotation Revealed A Troubling Depth Issue
USCs trip to Rutgers offered a clear look at how thin the roster has become in spots. The Trojans leaned on a season-low 60 players, with a wide spread in usage that reflected how much the staff had to press the available group into service. Desman Stephens II and Prophet Brown each logged 74 snaps, while Josiah Jefferson and Marquis Gallegos saw just one apiece in a game where the rotation was anything but normal.
The numbers also underscored how many bodies USC was already missing. Fourteen players were out because of injuries or were not dressed, and three more were injured and did not finish the game, leaving no one to return from injury or make a season debut. On the flip side, 13 players hit or matched career highs in total snap counts, a reminder that the Trojans are asking a lot from the same core as the season wears on. [Read more 🡒]