Oregon hosts USC in top-10 series

Jeff Hauser

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Oregon hosts USC with first series ranked meeting in a decade image

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

TL;DR

  • Oregon and USC meet as ranked teams for the first time in ten years, reviving a significant rivalry.
  • This top-15 matchup between No. 7 Oregon and No. 15 USC has major College Football Playoff implications.
  • Both teams boast potent offenses, but red-zone performance could be the deciding factor.
  • Oregon's strong defense faces USC's high-scoring offense in a pivotal game for playoff positioning.

Oregon and USC are facing each other as ranked teams for the first time in ten years, reviving a rivalry that used to be a hallmark of the Pac-12 and is now making a national comeback in the Big Ten.  

Saturday's matchup between No. 7 Oregon (9-1) and No. 15 USC (8-2) marks their first AP Top 25 contest since 2015, a game where the then-23rd ranked Ducks defeated the 24th-ranked Trojans 48-28.

This year’s matchup goes even further back in the archives. It marks the first top-15 meeting between the programs since 2009, when No. 10 Oregon stunned fifth-ranked USC 47-20 in a defining win that helped launch the Ducks’ rise into national prominence.

With both teams now competing for position in the expanded College Football Playoff picture, the stakes mirror those mid-2000s heavyweight clashes.

Oregon is anticipated to face a charged atmosphere at Autzen Stadium as they are the favored team. Their overall performance is among the nation's best, with the offense ranking 11th nationally in total yards per game (475.4) and the defense being even more formidable, holding the third spot nationally in total defense (235.4). 

Dante Moore, the Ducks' quarterback, has amassed 2,190 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, with Noah Whittington leading the eighth-best rushing offense. The Ducks' secondary excels nationally, conceding only 127.3 yards per contest.

USC also boasts a potent offense. The Trojans are fifth in total offense (488.9 yards per game), with Quarterback Jayden Maiava and standout receiver Makai Lemon, who has accumulated 1,090 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the charge. USC achieves an 51.7% success rate on third downs, placing them eighth in the country.

The outcome of the game might hinge on red-zone performance. Oregon's defense is ranked 132nd in red-zone stops, whereas USC's offense is ninth in red-zone scoring.

With playoff positioning and history all converging in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and USC finally feels big again. The Trojans have the perfect opportunity to knock the Ducks out of contention (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS). 

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Staff Writer