Los Angeles — The No. 20 Oregon Ducks and No. 12 USC Trojans are set to kickoff in a game that was likely circled by many fans of both programs.

For Oregon, USC represents the Big Ten contest and the first true test of a season that began with national championship expectations. The Ducks' upset to Oklahoma State has caused Oregon to cascade down the AP Top 25 Poll, and a win over USC becomes even more crucial for Oregon coach Dan Lanning and company in order to reach the College Football Playoff.

Hosting the Ducks will be USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, who are in search for the first CFP appearance since the new postseason bracket was introduced in the 2014 season. For USC, beating Oregon would stamp the Trojans as one of the top teams in the Big Ten and help re-establish USC as the premier program on the West Coast. Perhaps more concretely, a win over the Ducks give Riley and company a major boost to their CFP resume.

Oregon is currently 0-1 on the road after the Oklahoma State loss, and the Trojans are coming off a closer-than-expected win over Rutgers. Both teams have questions, especially on the injuries front, which should make for an exciting matchup between two old Pac-12 rivals.

Kickoff between USC and Oregon is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and the prime time game will be broadcast on NBC.

Follow along for live updates throughout the game.

Pregame Preview

The Ducks have won eight of the last 10 matchups between Oregon and USC, but the Trojans also entered 2026 with high expectations thanks to the return of quarterback Jayden Maiava and a dynamic incoming recruiting class.

USC freshmen like receiver Trent Mosley, receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, defensive lineman Luke Wafle, and tight end Mark Bowman have all impressed in the early part of the season, but Mosley is expected to be sidelined against Oregon. Dixon-Wyatt leads USC with 258 receiving yards through four games, but Mosley is not close behind with 255 of his own despite missing week 4 against Rutgers.

Still, the Trojans have firepower on offense thanks to Maiava, running back King Miller, receiver Tanook Hines, Bowman, Dixon-Wyatt, and more. On the other side of the ball, transfer defenisve lineman Alex VanSumeren has made an early impact for USC alongside Wafle.

The Trojans' leading tackler is transfer linebacker Deven Bryant while safety Christian Pierce brings a physical presence in the USC secondary. Pierce and cornerback Prophet Brown both picked up interceptions in the win over Rutgers, and the Trojans will be on the hunt for some game-changing turnovers against the Ducks.

Defensive coordinator Gary Patterson was expected to turn things around for the USC defense, but the Trojans have surrendered an average of 22.75 points per game against San Jose State, Fresno State, Louisiana, and Rutgers.

Will Oregon's offense struggle to score points against USC, and how will the Ducks' defense fare against an experienced quarterback and offensive line?

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