Oregon Rallies Past USC as Lanning Takes Aim at Riley's Program

Oregon lost its starting quarterback to a frightening hit, fell behind early and still left Los Angeles with a 41-27 victory over USC — a result that saved the Ducks' season and intensified scrutiny on Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.

Dante Moore was carted off the field after a brutal hit from a USC linebacker, forcing backup Dylan Raiola into the game. Raiola's poise and decision-making impressed Ducks head coach Dan Lanning, who praised his team's response to the injury and said the backup was prepared for the moment. Oregon trailed early, faced questions about its defensive line and still pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Lanning also explained a strategic shift, noting that his process has evolved to the point where he took three points before halftime rather than pushing for a touchdown.

After the win, Lanning turned his attention to USC and the broader recruiting landscape. He pointed to his record against the Trojans and delivered a blunt message to top players in the Los Angeles area. «Three wins against these guys,» Lanning said. «I guess if you're interested in winning football games and you're from this area, you should go to Oregon. If you want to go to a Chris Brown concert, you should go here.»

The loss was another frustrating chapter for USC, which entered the season with high expectations. The Trojans brought in the nation's top recruiting class, hired respected former TCU head coach Gary Patterson to run the defense and returned one of the country's top quarterbacks in Jayden Maiava. The program invested heavily in defensive recruits such as Jakheem Stewart and Luke Wafle and upgraded facilities for rest, recovery and strength training. Yet the results have not followed.

Over its last two games, USC's defense has allowed 964 yards. The touted defensive line generated just one sack in that stretch and none against Oregon. Rutgers averaged 6.7 yards per play and 7.9 yards per pass attempt against the Trojans, while the Ducks averaged 7.4 and 10.5, respectively. The numbers have raised questions about whether the investments in the front seven have been undermined by poor coverage from linebackers and defensive backs.

Riley's offense has remained a top-five unit by most analytics-based rankings, but the defense has been far from championship quality. In five seasons in Los Angeles, Riley is on his third defensive coordinator, and the unit has never ranked in the top 10 or even the top 15. The common denominator, critics note, is Riley himself.

The pressure is not new. USC's brand and media department were adamant that this year would be different, with the program declaring «The time is now.» After three underwhelming performances against San Jose State, Louisiana and Rutgers, the Oregon game was an opportunity to prove that things had truly changed. Instead, the Trojans looked worse than they did a year ago.

For Oregon, the win was a necessary step after a disappointing start to the season. The Ducks were effectively dominated by Oklahoma State a few weeks ago, losing 39-31 in a game that was not as close as the final score suggested. Oklahoma State racked up 554 yards of offense to Oregon's 281, controlled possession for nearly 37 minutes and converted 25 first downs to the Ducks' 12. Moore completed 14 of 29 passes, and Oregon's rushing attack averaged just three yards per carry while allowing almost six.

Despite those struggles, Oregon has been the better program in recent years. The Ducks made the College Football Playoff as the top overall seed in the 2024-2025 bracket but were down 34-8 to Ohio State at halftime on their way to another blowout loss. In last year's semifinal, they were routed by Indiana 56-22. Given their NIL resources and consistently elite recruiting classes, the Ducks have underperformed in big games under Lanning.

Still, the win over USC keeps Oregon's season alive and shows the team can play at a high level even without Moore. For USC, it leaves Riley's seat hotter than ever and raises doubts about whether the program's heavy investments will translate into championships.

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Delaney Sawyer

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Delaney Sawyer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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