Oregon vs. USC Preview: Ducks and Trojans Collide in a Massive Big Ten Showdown

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A Huge Big Ten Showdown

No. 20 Oregon and No. 12 USC meet Saturday night in one of the biggest games of the Big Ten season so far. The Ducks enter 2-1 and are preparing for their first conference game, while USC is 4-0 and already 1-0 in Big Ten play.

For Oregon, this is an opportunity to make an immediate statement in conference play after suffering a 39-31 loss at Oklahoma State earlier this season. The Ducks responded last week by dominating Portland State 84-0.

USC, meanwhile, has remained unbeaten but had to survive a 42-35 road game against Rutgers last week.

Dante Moore Leads Oregon’s Offense

Quarterback Dante Moore has been one of the biggest reasons for Oregon’s offensive production.

Moore has completed 61 of 89 passes for 849 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception through three games. He threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s win over Portland State.

Oregon is averaging 49.7 points and 501.3 total yards per game. Evan Stewart leads the Ducks with 15 receptions for 222 yards, while Dakorien Moore has 11 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

The Ducks will need that offense to stay aggressive against a USC team that has shown plenty of firepower.

Jayden Maiava Has USC Rolling

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava enters the matchup playing some of the best football of his career.

Maiava has thrown for 1,173 yards and 12 touchdowns with only one interception through four games. The Trojans have scored at least 39 points in every game this season, including their 42-point performance against Rutgers.

That creates a fascinating matchup between two explosive offenses. USC has been particularly effective through the air, while Oregon’s defense has held opponents to just 53.3% passing and has already recorded five interceptions.

History Favors the Ducks Recently

Despite USC leading the all-time series 38-24-2, Oregon has controlled the rivalry in recent years.

The Ducks have won four straight meetings against the Trojans, including a 42-27 victory last season. Oregon has also won six of the last seven meetings and eight of the last 10.

This will be Oregon’s first regular-season trip to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 2019.

Game Information

The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and will air nationally on NBC, with streaming available on Peacock.

With Oregon beginning Big Ten play and USC defending an undefeated record, this matchup has major implications for both teams. The battle between Moore and Maiava could be one of the biggest quarterback showdowns of the weekend, while whichever defense can create the most stops may ultimately have the biggest impact.

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