USC’s matchup with Oregon is a little over a week away, and one of the biggest questions hanging over the Ducks is whether Dante Moore is giving them the kind of quarterback play they need.
The concern, as laid out by Ducks Wire, is that Moore simply has not seized the moment in the spots where Oregon has needed him most. He was not being written off as a player who can’t help the Ducks win, but the standard for him has clearly slipped after another uneven showing.
Against an unranked Oklahoma State team, Moore was expected to take control and deliver. Instead, he finished 14-for-29 for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
His first half was especially rough: just 45 passing yards, which was the lowest output of his starting career. He also missed open receivers and came up short on several throws when Oregon needed a completion.
That performance fit a pattern that has now followed him at different points in his career. The same issues were seen a couple of times last year against Indiana, both in the regular season and the postseason, and this latest game added another example of Moore falling short in a big spot.
What makes it more frustrating for Oregon is that this was supposed to be part of Moore’s growth. He came back for another year to improve his poise and become a better team player, someone who could lift the Ducks when the pressure spikes. But if this game is any indication, there is still plenty of work left to do.
In Other News...
USC Faces A Rutgers Threat Built To Keep Maiava Watching
Rutgers enters its Big Ten opener against USC with a backfield that has suddenly become a storyline of its own. The Scarlet Knights have been active in reshaping that room, including the addition of four-star running back Aiden Gibson, who flipped from Penn State to Rutgers and reclassified to the class of 2026, giving the program another intriguing piece as it continues to sort out its ground game.
For the Trojans, the challenge is less about the name on the roster and more about what Rutgers wants to do with the ball once the game starts. A running attack that can stay on schedule and drain clock is exactly the kind of approach that can keep USC quarterback Maiava on the sideline and turn an opener into a possession game, making the Scarlet Knights' ability to control the ground a central part of the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Walks Into A Much Bigger USC Test Than Expected
USCs fast start has turned the Sept. 26 home date with Oregon into one of the seasons hottest tickets, with the school announcing the game is sold out. A 3-0 beginning has helped lift interest around the program, and the buzz has been fueled by quarterback Jayden Maiavas strong play and a wave of freshmen stepping into meaningful roles early in the year.
The matchup now carries a little more intrigue than the rankings might suggest, since Oregon is listed as a 1.5-point favorite even with USC sitting higher in the AP Poll. Both teams are expected to take care of business in the immediate lead-up, which only adds to the sense that this one could say a lot about where the Trojans really stand when a top opponent shows up in the Coliseum. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A New Debate Over Which Trojans Deserve Bigger Roles
Three games into the season, USC already has a familiar kind of problem for a program trying to sort out its identity: there are more players making cases for bigger roles than there are obvious snaps to hand out. The early reviews have been encouraging for some of the Trojans rising pieces, with King Miller and Luke Wafle among the names drawing positive attention as their standing continues to climb.
At the same time, the picture is getting less comfortable for others whose early performance has put them on the wrong side of the ledger. Waymond Jordan and Kam Crawford are among the players whose stock has slipped, and the contrast is setting up a real internal debate about how USC should distribute opportunities moving forward. For a team still trying to settle on the right mix, the next stretch will say plenty about which performances are treated as a trend and which are still just a small sample. [Read more 🡒]