Duck fans will say good-bye to a host of their favorites in a Big Ten, Top 15 matchup of old PAC-8 rivals when USC visits Autzen Stadium, 8-2, No. 15 USC at 9-1, No. 7 Oregon, 12:30 p.m. PT.
TV: CBS, Announcers Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson and Jenny Dell.
Odds: Oregon currently has an 87% chance to make the College Football Playoff. It drops to 61% if they lose. They are a 10.5-point favorite at home versus a Trojan squad that has not played well on the road this season, losing 34-32 to Illinois and 34-24 to Notre Dame.
The over/under has remained steady at 59.5 and the Moneyline is Oregon -425, USC +320.
Weather: Temperature 46 degrees, NW winds 4 mph, 0 percent chance of rain. Perfect fall football weather that favors a wide-open game.
Ideally Oregon would want a night game with wind and rain that would hamper SC's potent passing game, but they do counter with the nation's best pass defense.
Injuries are an X factor
Injuries: The official injury report is released two hours before kickoff as required by the Big Ten. Dan Lanning has been mum on injuries this week, saying only, "We'll see" when asked about the status of injured senior receiver Gary Bryant Jr. (a 2023 transfer from USC) Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart and others.
"I'm not going to hop into injuries," Lanning said, speaking to the press on Monday.
The Ducks have been hit hard at receiver this year with Moore, Stewart, Bryant, Jack Ressler, Dillon Gresham and Kyler Kasper all missing games, the last three for all or nearly all of the season.
There's a chance they get Moore, Stewart or Bryant back, but nothing has leaked out. Tackle Alex Harkey and tight end Kenyon Sadiq returned against Minnesota, Sadiq turning in the best game of his Duck career, eight catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
The defense has been relatively unscathed this year, but linebacker Devon Jackson has been out since Iowa.
For USC, safety Bishop Fitzgerald, starting left tackle Elijah Paige, and safety Kamari Ramsey all left the Iowa game last week with injuries. The injuries to two starting safeties could handicap them in dealing with the dangerous Sadiq. Paige practiced this week in knee braces.
Offensive tackle Gernorris Wilson and defensive tackle Tionne Gray were out for the Minnesota game. Jayden Limar has been out for several weeks.
Key Stats: Oregon is fourth in the conference against the run, allowing 3.16 yards a carry and 108 yards a game. USC ranks 14th in the Big Ten in stopping the run, giving up 4.42 yards a carry and 146 yards a game.
The Ducks crank out 6.3 yards a carry and 234 yards a game on the ground. Against Notre Dame, the Condoms gave up 306 yards and three touchdowns in the run game.
Prediction: Oregon 35, USC 24