No. 12 USC heads into its home date with No.
20 Oregon needing more than just a clean game plan. It needs a few players to force their way into the conversation before the depth chart starts sorting itself out for them.
The Trojans got out of Rutgers with a narrow win in Week 3, but the grind of that game exposed some of the pressure points on both sides of the ball. Oregon, by contrast, handled Portland State in emphatic fashion. Now USC has to match that kind of physical edge in a game that’s expected to stay tight.
One place where Lincoln Riley has to be careful is the backfield. King Miller has already put together back-to-back 100-yard games and clearly looks like the featured runner, but USC cannot lean on him alone if it wants to keep him fresh and keep the offense moving.
Waymond Jordan was once Miller’s partner in the backfield and even started ahead of him in the first two games, but his production has slipped. Against Rutgers, he managed eight carries for 26 yards after posting 10 carries for 47 yards the week before. There are no injury concerns attached to Jordan, so the hope is that he can rediscover some rhythm, spell Miller, and keep the ground game from stalling out.
Riley Wormley made the most of his chances against Rutgers and deserves a bigger slice of the offense. The redshirt-freshman finished with three carries for 52 yards, one catch for two yards and two total touchdowns, giving USC a real spark.
His burst as a runner and his ability to contribute as a receiver give the Trojans something they should want to use more often. If they don’t, they could be inviting another program to come calling.
The same goes for the younger backs who have faded from view. Shahn Alston had been a useful change of pace early on, especially when Miller and Jordan needed a breather.
Through three games, he has 16 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown. Deshonne Redeaux, who has four carries for 33 yards and a touchdown, also brought value as a return man with six returns for 108 yards.
Both saw more work in the first two games than they have recently.
That’s why USC cannot let the run game disappear when the pressure rises. The room has enough variety to help the starters and enough talent to create problems for Oregon if Riley keeps feeding it. If those touches dry up, the message to the younger backs gets ugly fast.
The other area that could decide how USC holds up is nickelback, where the Trojans may need Isaiah Rubin to take on a bigger role. Redshirt-freshman Alex Graham is dealing with injuries, and junior Kennedy Urlacher has had coverage issues, which opens the door for Rubin to move up.
Rubin didn’t play as a true freshman in 2024, but he appeared in all 13 games in 2025, mostly on special teams, and finished with five total tackles and a fumble recovery. He was listed as No. 3 in Week 3, and now he is likely to sit at No. 2 behind Urlacher.
The profile is there for Rubin to make a real push. He is 5-11, 195 pounds and came out of Los Alamitos in Long Bach, Calif., as a four-star recruit.
In high school, he showed off a little bit of everything: 58 total tackles, seven interceptions as a cornerback and four punt-return touchdowns. USC has reason to believe he can move around the secondary and bring some physicality with him.
Now he just has to show it.
There is also uncertainty at corner. Senior Jontez Williams may be banged up even after clearing his injury status earlier in the week. If he cannot stay on the field, redshirt-sophomore Marcelles Williams would be next in line.
Marcelles has spent the last four games behind Jontez and has played about 30 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He came into 2025 with promise after posting 41 total tackles and five pass breakups, but fellow redshirt-sophomore Chasen Johson has moved ahead of him for the other starting corner spot.
Against Oregon, Marcelles will be asked to stay attached to the Ducks’ bigger receivers, get his hands on some passes and prevent explosive plays. His willingness to tackle will matter too.
If he delivers, he can turn this into a real opportunity. If not, USC may keep cycling through younger options waiting in the wings.
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For USC, the optics are part of a bigger night that carries real weight beyond uniforms and branding. It is an early conference matchup with significant implications, and the Trojans will have to navigate key player absences while trying to leave their own mark in a game where legacies can start to take shape. The pageantry will be loud, but so will the stakes. [Read more 🡒]