USC’s Sept. 26 meeting with Oregon is already shaping up as one of the early measuring sticks of the season, and DraftKings has opened with the Ducks as 5.5-point favorites for the trip to Los Angeles.
That number says plenty about how this matchup is being viewed. It’s a September clash between two West Coast powers that usually meets later in the calendar, and this will be the first time the Trojans and Ducks have played in September since 2005.
The battle up front is where this one figures to be decided. Oregon brings back all four starters on its defensive line, with tackles A’Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander and edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuitou all returning. That front will be a major challenge for USC, which was pushed around in last November’s 42-27 loss and had to lean almost entirely on the passing game.
In that game, King Miller managed only 30 yards on 15 carries, and Jayden Maiava was under fire all night. He still threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns, but he completed just 58.1 percent of his passes and was intercepted twice.
This time, USC has more answers on its own offensive line. The Trojans return all five starters and bring real depth behind them, which makes this a perfect early read on how sturdy that group actually is. If USC is going to take a real step forward, it has to hold up in games like this.
The Trojans’ revamped receiver group will also get an immediate stress test. NC State transfer Terrell Anderson joins freshmen Boobie Feaster, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley alongside sophomore Tanook Hines, and they’ll be facing a Ducks secondary led by sophomore cornerback Brandon Finney Jr.
USC has also poured major resources into its defensive line, with freshman end Luke Wafle - the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class - headlining a unit that is expected to be one of the deepest on the roster. That group will be asked to make life difficult for Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, who is projected as a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
Moore was bothered by Indiana’s defensive front in both of Oregon’s losses to the Hoosiers last season, and USC will be looking for a similar formula. The Trojans also have to deal with sophomore running back Jordon Davison, who rushed for 15 touchdowns a year ago.
For new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, this is a huge early exam. Defense has been a lingering issue for Lincoln Riley’s teams since his Oklahoma days, and Patterson arrives with a Hall of Fame résumé built on elite units at TCU. USC believes it has more talent on that side of the ball than Patterson has ever had before, and this game will offer a fast answer on whether that investment is finally starting to pay off.
There’s another layer here, too. Linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler could matter right away after USC’s special teams issues in Eugene last season.
Riley enters his fifth season still searching for that defining win, the kind that has kept USC out of the College Football Playoff in each of his first four years. Oregon and Dan Lanning give him a chance to change the tone quickly. With highly touted prospects from multiple recruiting classes expected to be at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the stakes go beyond the scoreboard.
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USC Just Got The Oregon Opening Lincoln Riley Cannot Waste
Oregons secondary is still sorting itself out as Chris Hampton settles in as defensive coordinator, and that kind of uncertainty is exactly the sort of opening USC has to be ready to press. The Ducks have multiple players in the mix for key jobs back there, which means the early shape of their defense is still being defined even before the season gets rolling.
For Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, the opportunity is obvious: make Oregon answer questions in coverage while USCs offense tries to get its own front settled enough to handle the Ducks defensive line. If the Trojans can win up front, they can force Oregon to show its hand in the back end, and the way those position battles shake out could wind up steering how aggressive Hampton can be with that secondary down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Williams Headlines A Loaded All-USC NFL Dream Team
USCs NFL footprint has become so deep that building a dream team out of former Trojans is less a novelty than a reminder of how often the program has fed Sundays. The piece leans into that history by mixing the schools long draft track record with the production of its current and recent pros, then sorting through the names that have actually mattered at the next level. From the skill positions to the line, there is no shortage of candidates, which is part of what makes the exercise feel more like an argument than a gimmick.
Caleb Williams sits at the center of it, and not just because of his pedigree. The discussion around him is tied to how he has handled the jump to the NFL and how his postseason work has added another layer to his profile, while the rest of the roster debate stretches across a loaded backfield and a receiver group that reflects USCs ability to keep producing playmakers. Even the offensive line conversation has enough current and former Trojans in it to make the final choices feel crowded, which is exactly the kind of problem USC would want to have. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Gave Ronnie Lott A Rare Place In College Football History
Ronnie Lott has long been part of USCs defensive lore, and ESPNs college football writers have now put him in a rare historical lane by elevating him above every other player to wear No. 42. The former Trojan safety was a centerpiece of the 1978 national title team and helped USC win two Rose Bowls, building the kind of college rsum that still resonates whenever the programs all-time greats come up.
Lotts senior season only sharpened that legacy, as he finished by leading the country in interceptions and capped his USC career with a reputation for making game-changing plays. His college success was just the start of a career that carried into Canton-worthy territory with the San Francisco 49ers, but this latest nod is a reminder of how much of his legend was forged in cardinal and gold. [Read more 🡒]