By Garin Turner
In a Top-25 Big Ten showdown, the No. 12 USC Trojans couldn’t keep pace with the 20 No. Oregon Ducks, falling 41-27. The loss drops the Trojans to 4-1 and 1-1 in the Big Ten.
Jayden Maiava threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns. The Trojans went 50 yards in 13 plays on the opening drive of the game but missed a 33-yard field goal. The Ducks would also go on a 10-play drive, they made their field goal for a 3-0 lead.
USC took the lead after an Oregon three and out when Maiava completed a 31-yard pass to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. It would be their only lead of the gameas the Ducks scored a touchdown on their next drive. They would add a field goal to take a 13-10 lead into halftime.
They pushed the lead to 20-10 after scoring in four plays to open the third quarter. USC would fight back, scoring nine plays later on a Maiava one yard score. Oregon would answer with another touchdown to push the lead to 27-17. The Trojans would kick a field goal.
The Trojans tied the game at 27 all when Tanook Hines scored on an 11-yard pass from Maiava. It was all Ducks after that though, scoring back-to-back touchdowns after USC turned it over on downs. Maiava threw an interception that sealed USC’s fate.
USC had more first downs, 26, than Oregon, 23. The Trojans however were bad on third down going 2/11. The game wasn’t without controversy when Oregon QB Dante Moore went to slide and USC linebacker Desman Stephens hit him late. Moore left the stadium in an ambulance.
For USC, King Miller had 13 carries for 74 yards. Dixon-Wyatt had seven receptions for 114 yards and the touchdown. Hines had the one catch for a score. The Trojans didn’t get to either Moore or backup QB Dyan Raiola.
Up Next
Oregon: Bye, then UCLA comes to town on Oct. 10.
USC: will host Washington on Saturday, Oct 3.
