It still feels a little weird to see the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks battling it out as Big Ten Conference teams, but the stakes were very familiar on Saturday afternoon with the two programs competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
There was plenty at stake for both sides in this matchup. Oregon’s resume is currently lacking a victory over a top-20 team, so defeating the Trojans on Saturday could go a long way in moving up the rankings. Meanwhile, 15th-ranked USC had an opportunity for a stunning road win at Oregon that could thrust the Trojans into the thick of the College Football Playoff mix.
Let’s dive into the winners and losers from USC vs Oregon.
Winner: Malik Benson Makes Big Splash for Oregon Ducks
With the Ducks offense still without Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr., someone in this receiving corps needed to step up on Saturday versus USC. Benson made his mark early, taking a quick pass over the middle 24 yards to the Trojans’ 38-yard line. Oregon found the end zone five plays later. Then, in the middle of the second quarter in a 14-14 tie, Benson pulled in the punt return at the 15-yard line and took it 85 yards to the house. The punt return touchdown was pivotal, but Benson also deserves credit for delivering a season-high in receiving yards on Saturday.
Loser: Referees in USC vs Oregon Game
It felt like the officials took a bit of the spotlight in the first half of USC vs Oregon. In a fantastic rivalry game with high stakes and a lot of emotions, the officials had a quick whistle for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and seemed to be enforcing it to the letter of the law on Saturday. There was also a quick whistle at the 1-yard line on a play that probably could have been let go, as it became a touchdown a second or two later. Nothing the refs did decided the game, but the fact that the two teams combined for 19 penalties for 233 penalty yards highlights just how quick to the whistle this crew was. Ironically enough, the officials completed ignored two grabs on Noah Whittington’s facemask that would’ve given Oregon a first down and allowed the Ducks to run out the clock at home.
Winner: Makai Lemon Makes his Touches Count
Dan Lanning wanted the Ducks’ secondary to limit the explosive plays from Makai Lemon on Saturday and for good reason. USC’s star wideout came into this one with 1,090 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns on 71 receptions. While he wasn’t the Trojans’ leading receiver this afternoon (Tanook Hines), he found the end zone twice in the red zone as a receiver and even threw a touchdown pass. When you also factor in the extra attention he drew and how that opened things up for Hines and Ja’Kobi Lane, Lemon demonstrated why he’ll be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
- Makai Lemon stats vs Oregon: 7 receptions, 34 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1-for-1, 24 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown
Loser: USC Trojans’ Run Defense on the Road
What is it with this Trojans’ run defense when it leaves Southern California? Coming into Saturday, running backs had put up 599 rushing yards in the last three games that USC was on the road. The woes continued in Eugene, with Oregon putting up 148 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns in the first three quarters alone. It wasn’t necessarily THE reason that USC lost, but it’s a big part of the reason why the Trojans have lost three times on the road this season.
- Oregon Ducks rushing stats vs USC: 179 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns
Winner: Kenyon Sadiq Showcases his NFL Skills
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq continues to step up as the team’s best receiving threat with its top pass-catcher sidelined. Coming off a 96-yard performance, the 6-foot-3 athletic marvel didn’t have much trouble creating separation from the Trojans defense. He found the end zone twice, including a leaping grab through contact to give Oregon a 35-21 lead. The Ducks needed a signature win over a ranked opponent, and Sadiq made sure they got it with a ton of NFL scouts in attendance. He could be a first-round pick in April.
- Kenyon Sadiq stats vs USC: 6 receptions, 72 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Loser: King Miller’s Cinderella Story
Jayden Maiava was very good against one of the nation’s best pass defenses. What made the performance particularly impressive is that he delivered a 300-yard game on a Saturday where he received zero support from USC’s rushing attack. Walk-on running back King Miller received 15 carries on Saturday, with the longest going for 5 yards. On his other 14 carries, he averaged just 1.4 yards per carry. It’s a crushing fall after he was forced into the starting lineup due to injuries and put up 567 rushing yards in a starring role. There was just nothing going for him against Oregon.
