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EUGENE, Ore. — The stakes were high in Autzen Stadium as Oregon played to maintain its reputation while USC fought for a chance at the playoffs. The Ducks pulled out a 42-27 win over the Trojans.
Today’s game honored Oregon’s seniors, which added a layer of motivation for the Ducks with a chance to possibly get to play in their home stadium again.
“We all wanted to put it on the line for the seniors today, and the guys did that,” head coach Dan Lanning said.
USC struck first to take a lead 7-0. Oregon quickly answered, tied it, and then took the lead going into halftime 28-14. In the second half, Oregon extended that lead after a touchdown pass to junior tight end Kenyon Sadiq. USC fought back, but Oregon sealed it with a fourth-quarter touchdown to make it 42-27.
Oregon’s defense locked in on USC’s running game, with the Ducks’ front getting key stops and forcing USC to pass. Despite Oregon missing two key receivers in freshman Dakorien Moore and redshirt senior Gary Bryant Jr., the Ducks found a way to come out on top. This win certainly keeps Oregon’s playoff hopes alive, while USC took a big hit.
“We just played a really good team,” Lanning said. “We beat them, and a lot of times we play really good teams that become unranked all of a sudden. That’s not our fault … maybe it is our fault. All we’re worried about is the teams that we play, and doing the job that we need to do. And we did that job today.”
Setting up the stakes
Saturday’s matchup at Autzen Stadium brought together two teams carrying very different kinds of pressure. No. 7 Oregon entered the game having put together another strong campaign under Lanning, continuing the momentum from last year’s playoff run. The Ducks came in with one of the most complete rosters in the Big Ten — a top-tier defense, a steady offense led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore and the confidence that comes with playing in one of the toughest home environments in college football. For them, this game will exponentially increase their odds of entering the playoffs.
No. 15 USC arrived in Eugene fighting to steady a season full of expectations and scrutiny. Under head coach Lincoln Riley, the Trojans had shown flashes of the high-powered offense they’re known for, with redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava and junior wide receiver Makai Lemon anchoring an explosive passing attack. But inconsistency — especially on the defensive side and in non-home environments — added weight to this matchup, making today’s game an opportunity to either reset their trajectory or reinforce the questions surrounding them. After impressive wins against teams like No. 18 Michigan and Iowa, USC came into the game with the chance of an upset, even with most projections favoring Oregon by about 10 points.
Coming in, Oregon was widely viewed as the more complete team, while USC carried the urgency of proving it could go on the road and hold its own against one of the conference’s elite. All of that set the bar high for a high-stakes meeting at Autzen, where both programs were searching for a statement performance and late-season stability.
Both Oregon and USC faced Iowa just seven days apart from each other this November, and both games were tight. Oregon was projected to beat Iowa by between 5.5-6.5 points on Nov. 8, and pulled off the win with a 39-yard field goal by redshirt senior Atticus Sappington with three seconds remaining in the fourth. That kick led the Ducks to a 18-16 victory against the Hawkeyes.
The following weekend, the Trojans faced the Hawkeyes in the Coliseum. Although they don’t have the same extreme weather training as Oregon, they managed to pull off the win through torrential downpour. USC was trailing Iowa 21-10 at half after Iowa jumped out with an early lead. USC then ran off 19 straight points in the second half — shutting out Iowa from scoring. Lemon hauled in 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, crossing the 1,000 yard mark for the season. Sophomore running back Bryan Jackson scored two touchdowns as well, and the Trojans took the game 26-21. This game managed to keep the Trojan’s playoff hopes alive heading into their high-stakes matchup against the Ducks.
USC, however, proved incapable of capitalizing on this opportunity and have now essentially forfeited their shot at the College Football Playoff. They have one more matchup this season, a battle with crosstown rival UCLA on Nov. 29.