Saturday Night brings a throwback to the peak era of the Pac 12 as the No. 20 Oregon Ducks will face off against the No. 12 USC Trojans under the bright lights in Los Angeles. For the most part, the two teams have faced off nearly annually, but given the history and stakes in some of these matchups, the Big Ten should push to make it an annual staple.
This season's showdown has a chance to be another memorable showdown in the history of the rivalry because of the College Football Playoff expansion. Lincoln Riley is still looking to make his first College Football Playoff appearance at USC, while the Ducks' loss to Oklahoma State makes every game the rest of the way pivotal.
Looking back at the history of this rivalry may help with predicting the outcome of this matchup, but everything will come down to how the players on these rosters play. Dan Lanning said it best, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush aren't walking through that door, and neither is Marcus Mariota or the other Ducks' greats.
Dan Lanning is a SAVAGE:
— Oregon Updates (@oregon__updates) November 25, 2025
“They’re living off their history. Matt Leinart, he ain’t walking through there. Reggie Bush, he ain’t gonna show up.”
“Understand something. Why are you wearing black? You’re going to a Trojan funeral.” pic.twitter.com/OI438g2cJH
Oregon vs USC series history: Who leads the all-time series
When you look back at the history of this old school West Coast rivalry, USC holds the upper hand over the Ducks. Heading into Saturday Night, the Trojans lead the all-time series lead with a 38-24-2 record. While USC holds the all-time lead, recent history has shown that the momentum of this rivalry has flipped in favor of the Ducks.
The series is much closer than it appears as USC went 9-0-1 from 1920 through 1941 while ripping off an 11-0-1 run from 1972 through 1986. Since 2000, Oregon has held the upper hand with an 11-6 record against the Trojans.
Oregon currently holds a four-game winning streak over USC dating back to 2019, including a 31-24 victory in the 2020 Pac-12 Championship Game. The Ducks have also dominated the rivalry in recent years, posting an 8-2 record over their last 10 matchups, with USC's last win coming in 2016.
The matchup that matters is between Lincoln Riley and Dan Lanning, as they don't deserve the credit for the coaches who came before them. Dan Lanning currently holds a 2-0 record over Riley with a 12-point margin of victory in the games.
The matchup has produced countless memorable moments and introduced new superstars, and on Saturday night, it’s sure to create even more storylines.
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