Oregon-USC is must win battle for both college football teams
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The college football season has delivered on its biggest matchups so far. Ohio State-Texas and LSU-Ole Miss in back-to-back weeks have set the college football world ablaze with thrilling results. Now, the Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans will face off this week in a pivotal Big Ten matchup.
However, this game may be consequential for more than just the Big Ten. It could become the most important matchup for the College Football Playoff field to date. Certainly, Ohio State-Texas carried enormous stakes.
These two teams, though, may have even smaller margins for error by the time this one is finished. Oregon has won four consecutive battles against USC, but this Trojans team feels different. With the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the pressure is rising for Oregon.
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When you break down the potential consequences for the loser of this battle, it starts to feel like an early-season must-win. In a Big Ten conference filled with College Football Playoff contenders, another loss for either team could end its pursuit before the season really gets going.
Why Oregon Must Win
The Oregon Ducks have gotten off to a massively disappointing start. After escaping Week 1 with a hard-fought win over Boise State, they entered Stillwater as heavy favorites. However, Oklahoma State didn’t just beat them. The Cowboys controlled the game from start to finish.
Now, Oregon faces a road game at USC with matchups against Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan still remaining, among other Big Ten games. Most notably, the Ohio State and Illinois games are on the road. A loss Saturday night followed by another defeat against a team like Ohio State could seal Oregon’s fate.
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We’ve seen numerous two- and three-loss teams with College Football Playoff aspirations miss out in the last two tournaments. If Oregon can’t pull this one off, a once-promising season will suddenly be in serious jeopardy.
Why USC Must Win
USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley is under significant pressure to win and win now. The Trojans struggled at Rutgers last week and now host a much more talented Oregon team. Their next five games are even more brutal after Saturday night. USC will face Washington, travel to Penn State and Wisconsin, host Ohio State, and then travel to Indiana.
USC could potentially absorb a loss to one or two of those opponents. If Oregon becomes the third loss on its schedule, the Trojans could suffer the same fate Oregon could if it loses Saturday. In a season filled with expectations for results, this is quite the schedule for Riley to navigate.
This could also become a statement win for USC. Even though Oregon hasn’t gotten off to the start it wanted, the Ducks remain a very talented team. USC could crush Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes while also sending a clear message: the Trojans are for real.
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