The No. 20 Oregon Ducks are hitting the road Saturday, heading down to LA Memorial Coliseum for a Week 4 showdown against the No. 12 USC Trojans. This isn’t just another game, especially for Oregon, whose playoff hopes are already clinging by a thread after a rocky start to the season.
Oregon’s Rollercoaster Start
The Ducks are sitting at 2-1, but that record hides some serious drama. Their playoff hopes are already on life support after a tough 39-31 loss to unranked Oklahoma State. And get this: they barely snuck past Boise State to open the season. Talk about a shaky start! But wait, there’s a twist. Last week, Oregon absolutely steamrolled someone, putting up a ridiculous 84-0 win. Wide receiver Dakorien Moore even hauled in a touchdown pass against Portland State earlier this season. Was that 84-0 demolition a real wake-up call for the Ducks, or is Big Ten play about to start on a major sour note?
USC’s Offensive Punch, Defensive Questions
On the other side, the No. 12 USC Trojans are flying high at 4-0, but they’ve got some big questions on defense. Yeah, they shut out Fresno State, which is great, but in their other three games, they’ve coughed up 26 or more points. That’s a huge problem for a ranked team, right? Luckily for them, the offense has been bailing them out. Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw a pair of touchdown passes in their 42-35 win against Rutgers, and Riley Wormley racked up both a rushing and a receiving touchdown in that same game. Can that high-flying offense keep saving the day?
This Week 4 college football matchup is going to tell us a lot. Can USC’s offense continue to cover up those defensive leaks, or will Oregon’s recent offensive explosion carry over and deliver a crushing blow to the Trojans? Tune in on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET on NBC to find out which team comes away with the victory.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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