The latest line for USC’s Big Ten showdown with Oregon has the Trojans sitting as 1.5-point underdogs, a sign that Saturday’s matchup at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is being treated like one of the biggest games on either team’s schedule.
No. 12 USC and No.
21 Oregon meet on Sept. 26 in a game that could end up shaping the College Football Playoff picture for both sides. For Lincoln Riley, it is also a chance to finally get past Dan Lanning and the Ducks.
USC has dropped four straight to Oregon, a skid that goes back to 2019.
The pressure around this one has only grown because of how Oregon’s season has unfolded. The Ducks opened the year ranked No. 2 and viewed as a serious national title threat, but the early stumble has been rough. A poor season opener against Boise State, followed by a shocking 39-31 road loss to Oklahoma State, sent Oregon tumbling to No. 21 in the AP Top 25 and raised real questions about its CFP path.
That makes the Ducks’ stopover against Portland State before the USC game feel like a needed reset. Oregon should handle the FCS opponent comfortably at Autzen Stadium, but the bigger issue is what happens once the Ducks arrive in Los Angeles.
USC, meanwhile, has a little more room to breathe. A win over Oregon would boost the Trojans’ playoff case, but even a close loss would not wipe out their chances.
The schedule still gives them opportunities to land major résumé wins, including games against No. 14 Penn State on Oct.
10, No. 6 Ohio State on Oct. 31, and No.
4 Indiana on Nov. 14.
For Oregon, though, another loss could be devastating. The Ducks would likely have to run the table to keep their playoff hopes alive.
ESPN’s CFP predictor entering Week 3 had USC at 26 percent to make the playoff, which ranked fourth in the Big Ten behind Ohio State at 74 percent, Indiana at 63 percent, and Penn State at 30 percent.
The quarterback matchup is the real headliner. Oregon’s Dante Moore and USC’s Jayden Maiava are the players most likely to swing the night, and both have something to prove.
Moore struggled in the loss to Oklahoma State, but he is still regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten and in the country. A strong showing against USC would help him climb back into the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Maiava is chasing that same kind of momentum. Through USC’s first three games against San Jose State, Fresno State, and Louisiana, he has thrown for 896 yards, 10 touchdowns, and one interception while completing 80.7 percent of his passes. Those are Heisman-level numbers, but the spotlight gets brighter when the competition steps up, and Oregon is his first major test.
Both defenses have shown enough flaws to suggest points should come in bunches. That puts even more weight on which side can get the key stop when it matters most. This one has the look of a high-scoring game that could turn on a single defensive stand.
Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, Sept. 26, with NBC carrying the broadcast.
In Other News...
USC Walks Into A Road Game That Could Get Awkward Fast
Rutgers is already in an uncomfortable spot before USC ever takes the field in this one. The Scarlet Knights have opened the season with back-to-back heavy losses, including a home defeat to UMass and another setback against Boston College, and the tone around the program has turned quickly as questions start to follow Greg Schiano into the week.
USC, meanwhile, walks into a road game where the opponents mood may be as much a factor as the matchup itself. The Trojans are getting Rutgers at a time when the Scarlet Knights are trying to steady a season that has already gone sideways, and if the noise around Schiano keeps building, this could become one of those trips where the football and the larger tension around the program are impossible to separate. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads To Rutgers With A New Receiver Concern
USCs trip to Rutgers picked up a little more uncertainty when true freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley landed on the injury list and was ruled out for the game because of a knee ailment. Mosley has been part of the group the Trojans have leaned on for depth, and his absence comes at a point where the offense is trying to keep its receiver rotation steady heading into another road test.
Lincoln Riley said the timeline is still unclear, though the expectation is that it should not turn into a long-term issue. In the meantime, USC is looking at other options to absorb the snaps and production, with Zacharyus Williams and Terrell Anderson among the receivers who could be asked to take on more of the load. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fans Got The Jayden Maiava Shoulder Answer They Needed
Jayden Maiava gave USC plenty to feel good about in its win over Louisiana, piling up a career-high five touchdowns while also putting an end to the shoulder chatter that had lingered around him. The senior quarterback said he is healthy, and the way he played looked every bit like a passer operating without restriction, with freshman tight end Mark Bowman emerging as a major part of the offense with six catches and two scores.
For a Trojans team trying to build momentum, the timing mattered as much as the numbers. Maiava also spoke about getting ready for Rutgers and reflected on how far he has come over three seasons at Southern Cal, which adds another layer to a performance that was already important for the scoreboard and the injury conversation alike. [Read more 🡒]