Oregon defeated USC 41-27 in a Week 4 Big Ten matchup on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Ducks secured their fifth straight win in the series despite losing quarterback Dante Moore to injury in the first half.
No. 20 Oregon Ducks Versus No. 12 USC Trojans
College football’s Week 4 slate delivered a high-stakes clash on the West Coast as the No. 20 Oregon Ducks traveled to face the No. 12 USC Trojans under the lights at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. What began as a marquee battle between two star quarterbacks shifted dramatically before halftime when Oregon quarterback Dante Moore left the field with an injury.
This marked the first matchup against a ranked opponent for both teams in the 2026 college football season. Entering the game, the No. 20 Oregon Ducks held a 2-1 record following a feel-good win over Portland State and an earlier shocking upset loss to Oklahoma State. Meanwhile, the No. 12 USC Trojans brought a 4-0 record into the Saturday night contest after playing in Week 0 and narrowly defeating Rutgers in Week 3.
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds and College Football Playoff Outlook
Before kickoff, analysts noted that Oregon might need to run the table in the Big Ten to lock up a College Football Playoff spot, despite being set as a 3-point favorite on the road at DraftKings Sportsbook with a total of 62.5. The Trojans entered the matchup with a shaky 1-3 against-the-spread record.
How Oregon Overcame Moore’s Injury in Los Angeles
Dante Moore and Dylan Raiola Performance Statistics
Before exiting the game in the first half, Dante Moore had built momentum for an Oregon offense that entered the weekend trending in the right direction after a rough start to 2026. Moore had an ideal bounce-back game in Week 3, throwing for 280 yards and four scores in an 84-0 win over Portland State. Across his first three games, Moore had thrown for nine scores while completing over 68 percent of his passes. However, Oregon had previously failed to put away Boise State or Oklahoma State in Weeks 1 and 2, failing to cover the spread and losing one game outright.
When Moore went down in the first half against USC, Dylan Raiola and Dierre Hill Jr. stepped in to keep the offense moving. Even without Dante Moore for the majority of the contest, the Ducks’ offense thrived behind Raiola and Hill, ultimately outscoring the Trojans to seal a 41-27 victory.
USC Defensive Struggles Continue Against Ranked Opponents
Jayden Maiava and Defensive Success Rate Rankings
The Trojans entered Saturday night with a 4-0 record, but their defensive vulnerabilities had been apparent throughout the opening month of the season. Jayden Maiava and Co. put up 42 points in Week 3 against Rutgers, but the USC defense allowed 35 points in that contest and gave up over 25 points in three of four games. Earlier in the 2026 season, USC allowed 26 points to San Jose State and 30 points to Louisiana.
Entering the game, USC ranked 104th in the country in defensive success rate and outside the top 100 in EPA/Rush on defense, having not yet faced a quality team. That defensive fragility proved costly against Oregon, as the Ducks capitalized on the step up in class. With the 41-27 outcome, Oregon won its fifth straight game in the series against USC.
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