Man, talk about a gut punch. After building up to what *should’ve* been showcase home games, both Washington (3-1) and USC (4-1) just flat-out blew it last week. We were ready for something special, and instead, we got a big ol’ nope. This Saturday is all about who can rebound faster, because the road ahead for both teams is looking brutal.
That Showcase Game Implosion? Yeah, We’re Still Talking About It
USC got thumped 41-27 by a super-focused Oregon team. And get this, Oregon played that lights-out after *losing* their starting quarterback Dante Moore. Their backup, Dylan Raiola, was straight up terrific, completing 76% of his throws for 289 yards and two scores against the Trojans. Earlier in the season, Louisiana’s quarterback Lunch Winfield even gave the Trojans fits. That defense just isn’t there, apparently.
And us? What in the world was that performance against Minnesota? We weren’t even in it from the jump. The Gophers played their best game all season, and it ended in a brutal 27-24 loss for the Huskies. Just a brutal beatdown when we needed to shine, and it left us with a whole lot of questions about this team.
The Huskies’ Defensive Front Is MIA and USC’s QB Is Feasting
Here’s the real problem heading into this matchup: Washington’s defensive front can’t generate a lick of pressure. Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey just kept things moving against us last week, and it wasn’t pretty. And guess what? USC’s veteran quarterback Jayden Maiava is doing *everything he can* to carry those Trojans. He tossed for 326 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon, hitting 70% of his passes. He doesn’t even need to bomb away; he just has to take his time and run his offense against our D-line, which is a scary thought.
On the flip side, USC’s defense isn’t exactly a brick wall either. Remember that poor second half against San Jose State? They tried to explain it away with backups, and the Rutgers game was a long trip where Rutgers just threw everything at them. But they had absolutely *no hope* of slowing down Oregon’s passing game. So, our guy, Demond Williams Jr., has to absolutely go off. He’s gotta hit those midrange throws and let our receivers do the work.
Brace Yourselves: A Gauntlet of Road Games Awaits
This game isn’t just about bouncing back; it’s about setting the tone for a brutal stretch. USC’s got three of its next four games on the road, heading to Penn State and Wisconsin before hosting Ohio State, then a trip to Indiana after a week off. And we’re right there with them, with three road games in four dates ourselves. We’re hosting Iowa next, then it’s off to Purdue and Nebraska after our week off. If we can’t get it together now, it’s going to be a long fall.
The pros are pretty blunt, saying Washington “just doesn’t seem to have it this season.” Little positive momentum offensively, and our defense, while “good overall against mediocre teams,” totally failed to pick up the slack for the offense against the Gophers. USC is “all about the offense,” and the prediction is their defense will hold just enough for Maiava to do his thing.
This Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET on NBC from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, it’s USC 35, Washington 26, according to the pros. They’ve got USC as -9.5 favorites. If we win this, there’s still hope for a terrific season. If not… man, this road ahead is going to be brutal. Let’s hope the Huskies show up and prove everyone wrong. We need it.
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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