Will USC rediscover Sam Darnold magic on College GameDay this Saturday against Oregon?

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It's been too long (eight full GameDay-less seasons) since USC football was last featured on the ESPN College GameDay pregame show in 2016.

That 2016 game is important for Trojan fans to remember this Saturday, because it sets the stage for history to repeat itself in the best way against the Oregon Ducks.

Let's look back.

USC's last College GameDay appearance

USC's last College GameDay appearance also marks the most recent true road win that Trojan fans are really proud of.

The Trojans were featured on GameDay for their matchup against No. 4 Washington in Seattle. In that game, the Trojans famously knocked off the Huskies 26-13.

Sam Darnold threw for 287 yards and 2 touchdown passes, Ronald Jones rushed for 93 yards and another score, and Adoree' Jackson had 2 interceptions to lead the Trojans to a huge upset victory. It was an all-time performance against a Washigton team that went on to make the 4 team College Football Playoff.

USC went on to beat Saquon Barkley and Penn State in the Rose Bowl that season, the Trojans' best win of the Clay Helton era. That Rose Bowl would not have been possible without Darnold, Jackson and company's signature regular season win against Washington.

Huh…a lot of similarities

It's odd how many similarities to USC's 2016 Washington game that this 2025 Oregon game has. It will be a conference game played in the Pacific Northwest. USC is the underdog, and its opponent is a Top 10 team that will likely go on to make the CFP even if it loses to USC. The Trojans need this game to try and play in a meaningful postseason bowl.

USC is even led by a quarterback wearing the No. 14 again. I am getting major deja vu.

Can history repeat itself, help USC break the curse?

Lincoln Riley, and USC as a whole, has not been good in true road games since 2016.

In 2024, USC did not win a game outside of California or Las Vegas. USC's only ranked road win of the Lincoln Riley era was against…UCLA in the Rose Bowl in 2022. They are 0-6 in true road games against ranked opponents in the Riley era, including 0-2 this season against Illinois and Notre Dame.

Riley's Trojans did finally win a tough road game this season, against Nebraska. They also beat Purdue on the road. It's a big improvement from being 0-4 in true road games last season.

But this is a piece of the puzzle that Lincoln Riley has not been able to put together in his USC tenure. Can the Trojans find some 2016 magic and break the curse in their return to GameDay?

USC's general GameDay success

USC is generally very good when featured on College GameDay in the show's history. In 24 appearances, the Trojans are 18-6. Their .750 winning percentage is the best by any team with 5 or more appearances on the show.

That includes an 11-2 record on the road. The Trojans certainly need the magic of any kind of situation where they are better at home than on the road.

The 2016 path to victory

In 2016, USC trailed 3-0 in the first quarter and never fell behind for the rest of the game. The Trojans had to overcome 2 Darnold interceptions, but of course, Adoree' Jackson picked off two passes himself to make the turnover battle even. The Huskies punted four times and the game also featured a defensive safety for USC. The Trojans outscored the Huskies 9-0 in the fourth quarter.

Is that the blueprint for success against Oregon? Will USC have to overcome 2 interceptions by Jayden Maiava but get the best defensive effort of the season at Autzen Stadium?

USC fans will take it any way they can get it. Just win, Trojans.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC pursues history on College GameDay for first time since 2016

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