What should the Oregon Ducks expect from USC Trojans' offense?

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With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Oregon Ducks are getting set for the biggest game of the year, and one of the biggest regular-season games inside Autzen Stadium over the past decade.

With the No. 15 USC Trojans coming to town on Saturday, it will be a virtual playoff game for the No. 7 Ducks. With a win, they further cement their status as one of the best teams in the nation and take another step forward in locking up their spot in the postseason. However, a loss would likely knock them out of the CFP conversation, or at the very least make it a dicey proposition.

On the flip side, USC needs to win out in order to make it into the playoff, and a top-10 victory on the road over a conference rival would do wonders for their national perception. All of this has the matchup getting national attention, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” coming to town once again.

So what can we expect to see from this USC team, and in particular, what type of challenges will they present? Let’s dive in.

What do the USC Trojans do well on offense?

The Trojans are as good as they come on the offensive side of the ball, and they are balanced with both the rush and the pass. They are led by Jayden Maiava, a dynamic quarterback who excels when flushed out of the pocket, and one of the best wide receiver corps in the nation, with Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane.

In the passing game, USC ranks No. 8 in the nation, with 298.1 ypg. Meanwhile, they average 191.1 yards per game on the ground, led by King Miller. This is a team that can hurt you in different ways, using a talented roster and a great offensive coach in Lincoln Riley to find the weaknesses in a defense and exploit them.

Who are the top players to know about?

QB Jayden Maiava

A transfer from UNLV who took over the Trojans’ starting job late last season, Jayden Maiava has excelled during his first full season at the helm. Though not the most traditionally fundamental passer, his accuracy is one of his strengths, as he’s completing 66.8% of his passes for 2,868 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He’s at his best when the pressure’s at its highest, as he’s made a number of clutch plays throughout the 2025 season. The Hawaii native stands 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, and while he isn’t the fastest quarterback, he’s adept at creating space in and outside the pocket and has rushed for six touchdowns thus far. While he isn’t Fernando Mendoza, he very well may be the second-best passer that the Ducks will face during the regular season.

WR Makai Lemon

Arguably the best receiver in the country this season, Makai Lemon is approaching sure-fire first-round pick status with his standout play in 2025. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is a technical route runner, using his speed to create space from his defender. Lemon is Maiava’s go-to target on the outside, with 71 receptions for 1,090 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s entering Week 13 coming off two of his best games of the season, totaling 21 catches for 314 yards and two touchdowns against Northwestern and Iowa. Lemon is among the favorites to claim the Biletnikoff Award, given to the most outstanding receiver in college football.

WR Ja’Kobi Lane

While Lemon is Maiava’s go-to target, an argument can be made that Ja’Kobi Lane is his most trusted. He doesn’t have the same counting stats as his receiver counterpart (40 catches for 585 yards and four touchdowns while missing one game), but Lane’s 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame allows for Maiava to throw the ball anywhere near him, and Lane will come down with it. But he’s not just a jump-ball type of pass catcher, as he has tremendous agility for a player of his size. Put too much attention on Lemon, and Lane can burn defenses.

Are the Oregon Ducks built to stop USC?

This game is going to present one of the best matchups we have seen all year: USC’s passing attack vs. Oregon’s secondary. The Ducks have the No. 1-ranked passing defense in the nation, giving up just 127 yards per game, led by true freshman CB Brandon Finney, a likely All-American at the position. Pitting Finney up against someone like Lemon is going to be great entertainment.

On the ground, USC can also find a lot of success with RB King Miller, so it will be on the Ducks to stay true to their assignments and not sell out to stop the pass. The Ducks’ defense ranks 21st in the nation against the run, giving up just 121 yards per game.

What should we expect on Saturday?

Whether or not Oregon wins or loses this game likely depends on how the defense can hold up against USC’s offense. The Trojans have been able to score an average of 38 points per game, but they have struggled on the road so far this year, with that number dipping down to 27 points per game when leaving Los Angeles. I think the Ducks will do a good job of slowing down the run, but the biggest question then becomes how this secondary can hold up against USC’s passing attack.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What the Oregon Ducks should expect from USC’s offense

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