USC walked into its Week 4 matchup with Oregon carrying plenty of talent, but the Trojans left with the same hard truth staring them in the face: they were not on the Ducks’ level. There were a few bright spots in the loss, but the uglier parts of the game ended up defining it.
Jayden Maiava was one of the few reasons USC stayed competitive for stretches. The finish was rough for everyone involved, but for most of the afternoon he looked sharp, and at times he looked special.
He delivered several NFL-level throws and kept showing off the arm talent that has flashed all season. Even when pressure mounted, he stayed composed and answered adversity well.
The production backs that up, too - Maiava is currently leading the country with 1,499 yards through the air. The loss stung, but USC still has plenty to like at quarterback.
King Miller also made the most of his chances. USC did not lean on the run nearly enough, and that was a mistake.
When the Trojans did hand it off, Miller was productive, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and finishing with 74 rushing yards. With a couple more carries, he could have easily pushed past 100.
Against Oregon, the simple answer was the right one: keep feeding King Miller.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt kept flashing the kind of talent that fits right into the USC receiver tradition. He was flat-out unstoppable in the first half and looked like an elite weapon.
Oregon slowed him down after the break, but he still came through with a key first down on an impressive catch. For USC, that kind of production in a big game is a very encouraging sign.
Jahkeem Stewart also made his presence felt right away in his first game of the season. His return gave the defensive line a boost, and USC looked sturdier in short-yardage situations with him on the field. Those stops helped the Trojans build some momentum, and Stewart was a big part of that.
But the losses in the secondary were impossible to ignore. Oregon’s playmakers had too much room too often, and USC never found a way to slow the explosive plays on crucial downs.
Jamari Johnson had a field day, and Dierre Hill Jr. added 105 yards receiving. The coverage simply wasn’t good enough, and it became impossible to hide.
What had been buried under wins finally showed up as the main reason USC lost.
Desman Stephens II also had a game to forget. Rather than making his mark with a big play, he committed a major mistake that set the tone in the worst possible way.
His actions after the play, celebrating while a player was being attended to, looked even worse than the mistake itself. For a key player, it was a damaging moment and a bad look for the program.
And then there was the coaching. Lincoln Riley and Gary Patterson were outmaneuvered by Dan Lanning and his staff.
Even after Oregon lost its star quarterback to a devastating injury, the Ducks stayed locked in and never let USC seize control. Their second-half adjustments were obvious.
USC, meanwhile, kept stacking mistakes and playing undisciplined football. No matter how much talent the Trojans have, that kind of performance won’t be enough unless the staff does a better job.
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Until then, USC has to keep sorting through a reshuffled receiver rotation while finding enough reliability on the perimeter for the upcoming games. Mosleys absence comes at a time when the Trojans are already dealing with other receiver injuries and lineup changes, which makes the early part of the schedule even more about survival than style. [Read more 🡒]
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USC Defense Faces A Bigger Concern Entering Must-Win Washington Game
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