Oregon Ducks close as growing road favorites vs. USC Trojans
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It's almost time for prime-time football in Los Angeles with everything on the line for the No. 20 Oregon Ducks and the No. 12 USC Trojans. Rivalry bragging rights, recruiting efforts, and potential playoff hopes are at stake, and the Ducks and Trojans will battle under the bright lights with the nation watching.
The Ducks could get a key weapon in Jamari Johnson back on the field in the rivalry, and that could influence how the betting line ultimately closes at kickoff. Still, Oregon is a somewhat surprising road favorite, despite the fact that USC is undefeated this season.
FanDuel Sportsbook opened the week with Oregon as 2.5-point favorites, expecting plenty of points in the game. On Saturday morning, the line has bumped one point in Oregon's direction, favoring the Ducks by 3.5 points. The total has dropped one point to 61.5 points, which is still fairly high, as both the Ducks' and Trojans' defenses have struggled this season.
Oregon's money line odds are -170, while USC has +140 odds. The Ducks have owned this matchup in recent years, winning eight of the last 10 games and each of the past four. The last two matchups in the series were both in Eugene, and Dan Lanning's Ducks took down Lincoln Riley's Trojans both times in fairly convincing fashion.
The tables have turned, however, as Oregon is looking to make a statement and get its season back on track this week, while a loss could put Riley on the hot seat in Southern California. There will also be plenty of recruits in attendance, several of whom the Ducks and Trojans are both recruiting. Not only is this a game Oregon and USC both need for this season, but it could have a big impact on the future for both programs as well.
The Ducks have only covered one game this season, despite being favorites in all three games. Oregon covered the 57.5-point spread last Friday against Portland State, but failed to cover spreads of more than three touchdowns against both Boise State and Oklahoma State to begin the season.
Oregon's offense needs to prove it can keep up with USC's scoring potential this week, with plenty of eyes on the quarterback duel between Dante Moore and Jayden Maiava. Maiava has been one of the nation's best quarterbacks to begin the season, while Moore struggled on the road against the Cowboys before playing an excellent first half last week against an FCS foe.
Oregon will open Big Ten play with a massive showdown on the road against USC on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT, with the game airing live on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks close as growing road favorites vs. USC Trojans
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