No. 7 Oregon Outguns No. 15 USC 42–27, Handing Trojans Third Road Loss to Ranked Opponent

Dante Moore Throws for 257 Yards and Two TDs as Ducks Tighten Playoff Push; USC’s CFP Hopes Fade Despite Big Night from Maiava and Lemon

EUGENE, Ore. | No. 15 USC Football saw its College Football Playoff hopes all but disappear Saturday night as No. 7 Oregon powered to a 42–27 victory at Autzen Stadium. Despite a strong outing from quarterback Jayden Maiava and star receiver Makai Lemon, the Trojans (8–3, 6–2 Big Ten) were unable to keep pace with the Ducks’ balanced offensive attack and opportunistic scoring.

Oregon (10–1, 7–1 Big Ten) bolstered its CFP résumé behind Dante Moore’s efficient 257-yard, two-touchdown performance, complementary playmaking from tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and a punishing ground effort from Noah Whittington, who ran for 104 yards and a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown.

The loss continued USC’s decade-long drought in Eugene—the Trojans have not won there since 2011—and extended Oregon’s current win streak in the series to four straight.

USC STRIKES FIRST, OREGON ANSWERS IMMEDIATELY

USC opened the game with promise as Maiava found Lemon on an 8-yard sprint toward the pylon to take a 7–0 lead. Lemon, who entered the night ranked second nationally in receiving yards per game, again showed his elite versatility.

But the Ducks wasted no time responding. Freshman running back Jordon Davison tied the game on an 11-yard touchdown run, and Moore soon after connected with Sadiq for a red-zone strike to take a 14–7 lead.

LEMON MAKES HISTORY WITH TRICK-PLAY TOUCHDOWN PASS

Early in the second quarter, the Trojans pulled even when Lemon took a backward toss from Maiava and delivered a perfect 24-yard touchdown pass to Tanook Hines, becoming the first Trojan wideout to throw a touchdown since 2018.

However, momentum swung dramatically just before halftime. After a missed Oregon field goal was negated by a USC penalty, the Ducks capitalized with Bryce Boettcher’s 1-yard scoring plunge to extend the lead to 28–14 at the break.

OREGON PULLS AWAY AS USC FALLS SHORT ON KEY CHANCES

USC clawed back in the third quarter with Maiava’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Lemon—his third total score of the night—but Oregon answered almost immediately. Moore found Sadiq again, this time for a 28-yard touchdown deep down the right seam.

The Trojans mounted another charge late in the third quarter, helped by consecutive pass interference calls on Oregon, leading to Maiava’s 9-yard touchdown to Lake McRee. The failed two-point conversion kept USC trailing 35–27.

The Ducks delivered the final blow on the next possession as Whittington sliced through traffic for a 9-yard touchdown run, sealing the 42–27 victory and preserving Oregon’s playoff hopes.

INJURIES IMPACTED BOTH SIDES

Oregon played without top receivers Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr., while USC was missing key defensive pieces, including safeties Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald, and offensive tackle Elijah Paige.

STAT LEADERS

• USC – Jayden Maiava: 306 passing yards, 3 TDs
• USC – Makai Lemon: 2 receiving TDs, 1 passing TD
• Oregon – Dante Moore: 257 yards, 2 TDs
• Oregon – Noah Whittington: 104 rushing yards, 1 TD
• Oregon – Kenyon Sadiq: 6 receptions, 72 yards, 2 TDs

USC returns home to face crosstown rival UCLA next Saturday, aiming to close the regular season strong and keep its New Year’s Six bowl hopes alive. Oregon, meanwhile, continues its push toward a potential College Football Playoff berth and a chance to host a postseason game.

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-- By Jasmine Thomas

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