By Tim Peterson
(Los Angeles) – USC allowed five touchdowns, 41 points and 504 total yards to Oregon in a 41-27 loss to the Ducks Saturday before 75, 500 fans at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
The Trojans tied it at 27 early in the fourth quarter but Oregon scored the last two touchdowns and held USC at bay to put it away. USC knocked quarterback Dante Moore out of the game in the second quarter but backup Dylan Raiola came on and led the Ducks to the victory.
Things didn’t start well for USC on the first possession of the game. Caden Chittenden missed a 33-yard field goal after the Trojans had moved down to the Oregon 16- yard Iine.
Oregon took over and drove down to the USC 13-yard line where they were stopped. But Gage Hurych kicked a 30-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 3:34 left in the first quarter. The field goal was set up by a 45-yard run by Jordan Davison down to the USC 35-yard line.
Early in the second quarter the Trojans took advantage of a short field. They needed only four plays to go 58 yards. Jayden Maiava hit Kayden Dixon-Wyatt over the middle with a 31-yard touchdown pass with 12:53 left in the quarter for a 7-3 USC lead.
With 10:05 left in the second quarter Desman Stephens II hit Moore after he scrambled and went into a slide at the USC seven-yard line. Moore went down and had to be carted off the field. Several altercations broke out and players had to be separated. Stephens was ejected for targeting. Moore was considered a defenseless player and the targeting call was upheld after a review.
Raiola came on for Moore and hit Evan Stewart on a three-yard touchdown pass to give Oregon a 10-7 lead. The Ducks marched 75-yards on nine plays to jump back in front.
Chittenden kicked a 38-yard field goal for USC to tie it at 10 with 5:36 left in the second quarter.
The Ducks marched down to the USC two-yard line at the end of the half but the Trojans were able to keep them out of the end zone. Hurych booted a 19-yard field goal to give Oregon a 13-10 lead at the half.
Oregon marched quickly down the field to open the third quarter. A 62-yard pass play from Raiola to Dierre Hill down to the Trojans nine -yard line highlighted a four-play, 75-yard drive. Hill scored on a one-yard run to finish it and increase the Oregon advantage to 20-10.
The Trojans responded with a 75-yard march of their own. They used nine plays and Maiava capped it with a one-yard run to cut the Ducks lead to 20-17 with 8:33 left in the third quarter.
Oregon immediately countered with another 75-yard scoring march. Hill found the end zone on a four-yard jaunt to make it 27-17 on the seventh play of the series with 5:52 left.
Four minutes later Chittenden kicked a 29-yard field goal to make it 27-20.
The Trojans got even early in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard scoring strike from Maiava to Tanook Hines to complete another 75-yard drive. The Trojans used seven plays on the game tying drive.
On the next possession Raiola hit Dakorien Moore on a 29-yard touchdown pass to finish a 75-yard drive as the Ducks took a 34-27 lead with 8:35 left.
After stopping the Trojans on fourth down the Ducks scored again. Davison hit the end zone from two yards out to finish an eight-play, 49-yard drive with 2:03 left and put the dagger through the Trojans heart.
For USC Maiava completed 23 of 42 for 326 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Dixon-Wyatt had seven receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. USC had just 120 yards rushing with King Miller leading the way with 74 yards.
For Oregon Raiola was 19 of 25 for 289 yards and two scores. Moore was 8 of 10 for 77 yards before leaving with the injury. Jamari Johnson was the leading receiver with seven catches for 119 yards and Hill had four for 105.
Davison had 66 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and Hill scored twice on the ground and ran for 63 yards.
With the victory Oregon improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten while USC fell to 4-1 and 1-1 in conference.
OR 3 10 14 14 41
SC 0 10 10 7 27
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Listening to Arbogast on Trojan radio broadcast Saturday ; as soon as it became apparent that SC would lose , Arbo began listing all time record vs Oregon . He gave win-loss , national championships , league championships , Heisman winners , then followed “ none of that matters now “.
Then why say it ???
That diatribe just reinforces how bad things are now and how disappointing the Riley tenure has been ( while trying to soothe battered egos) . Equally troubling was the cavalier attitude displayed towards the vicious late and unnecessary hit on Duck QB Moore ….
There’s no way to put a shroud of tradition around the current mess and make it pretty . Trying to do so just makes it worse.
It’s always a Great Day in Los Angeles when the Cheaters USC lose.
Poor trOJan fan$!!! Every time they struggle and choke away their season, their answer is to try and steal away coaches from across town. Oh how I love seeing the fall of Troy!!! Go Bruins!!!
In high school or college, a kid doesn’t play for the school as much as he plays for the coach. With this latest failure to win the big game, how many 4 or 5-star recruits will be attracted to Lincoln Riley? Dan Lanning was quick to pounce on this issue in his post-game comments, where he bluntly stated that Oregon was responsible for filling seats at the Coliseum and that top SoCal talent that wants to win should come play for him.
USC’s defense was supposed to be better this year. Well, apparently not.
It’s safe to say I was rooting for USC at the beginning of the game but once that nasty hit on Dante Moore happened, I was rooting for Oregon because I didn’t want to root for a team that commits that much of a dirty play. I think it’s very safe to say that Riley’s job is very much in question.
Chesney is not going anywhere! Word is, the bruins are about to sign him to an extension.
Go Bruins! Love it when u$c loses. Nothing better. Dirty team and their delusional fans got what they deserved!
This is Riley’s job on the line tonight I think. I’m a North Carolina fan (watching and rooting for their football team is pain), but let’s go Trojans!
If the hype surrounding the hire of Lincoln Riley had been justified, this game wouldn’t be the cliffhanger that it is. The Trojans spent $110 million on a guy who has now had five years to turn USC into a national power, but it seems the team has been stuck in neutral, not moving forward even an inch toward that objective. Riley still is offense-oriented, putting up big points but making fans hold their breath by allowing opponents to score liberally.
Across town, Bob Chesney HAS made great strides in improving the Bruins’ program, fielding a balanced squad that has gained competence and confidence, week by week.
Which of these fellows deserves a $17 million beach estate? I say give Chesney enough to buy two of those places, if it will get him into the Trojan fold. Riley is all sizzle with little steak, whereas Chesney is a full-course meal.
Given all this, I’m conflicted by today’s big game. I want my Trojans to win, but ultimately the greatest USC victory would be getting rid of Stinkin’ Lincoln and installing Bobby Chesney. Only a big letdown against Oregon will hasten that priority. So a Trojan loss could, ironically, lead to a bigger win.