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

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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 defense?

Over the past couple of years, USC has improved defensively under coordinator D’anton Lynn, and they’ve been a solid team on that side of the ball this year. While they may not have the size of some defenses that Oregon has seen recently, like Iowa or Wisconsin, they are fast and solid in the secondary with great players like safety Kamari Ramsey and LB Eric Gentry.

The Trojans are best equipped to stop the pass, where they rank 31st in the nation, giving up just under 200 yards per game. In the front seven, they have been liable to get pushed around a bit, though, giving up an average of 154 yards on the ground per game, which ranks 52nd in the nation.

Who are the top players to know about?

LB Eric Gentry

Eric Gentry, standing 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, doesn’t have a typical linebacker body, yet makes up for it with his physical nature. He’s recorded a team-high five forced fumbles and is tied for second on the team with three sacks this season. The fifth-year senior has been a key cog in the middle of the Trojans’ defense for four years, having a significant impact since transferring from Arizona State in 2022. He leads USC in tackles with 64 and will have a big hand in attempting to stymie the Ducks’ rushing attack.

S Bishop Fitzgerald

This is Bishop Fitzgerald’s first season with the Trojans after spending the beginning of his career at NC State. He’s excelled immediately, becoming the leader of the secondary while amassing a team-high five interceptions. At 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, Fitzgerald is anticipatory and rangy from the safety position, breaking on passes and making sure tackles in the second and third levels of the defense.

S Kamari Ramsey

The UCLA transfer has been a solid player for USC in the secondary, racking up 27 tackles and a pair of PBUs so far this season. After getting dinged up against Iowa last week, there is a question of whether or not he will play this week, so that’s something to keep an eye on as the week progresses.

Are the Oregon Ducks built to score on USC?

When it comes to scoring on USC, the Ducks are seemingly built to do it both on the ground and through the air. While Oregon’s wide receiver room is a bit depleted due to injuries to Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr., they proved last week that their tight ends can fill in well, with Kenyon Sadiq having a career game against Minnesota. Should Oregon want to run out in 12 or 13 personnel, they can have success doing so, getting mismatches with TEs on LBs in space.

Oregon should also feel comfortable with its ability to run on USC, which is something that Iowa was able to do last week with great success. The Hawkeyes were able to get great push up front, moving USC’s defensive tackles around and rushing for 183 yards. The Ducks have one of the best offensive lines in the nation, and a rushing attack that ranks No. 8 in the nation, averaging over 230 yards per game.

What should we expect on Saturday?

This is one of the rare Oregon games where the Ducks may try to play bully ball and limit possessions for the opposition. While they could likely win a shootout with the Trojans, it may be more advantageous for them to lean on their physicality and play a Big Ten-style game, rather than a Pac-12-style game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Oregon run the ball early and often, moving the chains routinely, and then taking shots when they present themselves.

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

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