The 5 pivotal players who can be X-factors for Oregon vs. USC

Massive showdowns are often played with the thinnest of margins, and on Saturday Night, the Oregon Ducks will be tested on that scale for the first time this season. Dan Lanning takes his team on the road to Los Angeles, where the Ducks will clash with Lincoln Riley's 12th ranked team in a game with major stakes.

This game is expected to be played incredibly close, with Oregon favored by less than a touchdown, meaning this game may be decided by a few moments. If Oregon is going to head back to Eugene with a win, it's going to come down to 5 Ducks stepping up, and helping contribute to the best showing of the season.

5 potential X-Factors for the Oregon Ducks vs. USC

Messiah Hampton - Wide Receiver

The Oregon Ducks are going to be without wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan for a while as he suffered a broken foot in the lead up to the Portland State game. McClellan entered the Portland State game as the Ducks' leading wide receiver, and with the fact that Oregon has leaned on the strating trio, someone is going to need to step up into a bigger role.

True freshman Messiah Hampton had already started to emerge as a reliable weapon for Dante Moore, and in the Portland State game, he built on that chemistry. After catching 6 passes for 71 yards and 2 touchdowns vs. the Vikings, Hampton appears to be in-line for the start. Hampton is going to need to be impactful as the level of competition rises, and he has all the talent to do so, even if there are some growing pains as a freshman.

Jordon Davison - Running Back

The Ducks have yet to produce a 100-yard rusher through 3 games, and with Big Ten play beginning, controlling the clock is even more important. Rutgers just gave USC a ton of problems as Antwan Raymond rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown, and Oregon's best path will be similar success on the ground. When the Ducks get into the redzone in this game, Davison is going to have to continue capping off drives, and his success may determine this game.

Jamari Johnson - Tight End

As Jamari Johnson is listed as questionable on the first availability report, it appears that he'll be back in the lineup for the first time since the season opener. In the loss to Oklahoma State, the offense, including Dante Moore, looked lost without the safety valve at tight end. Johnson rejoining the offense should only allow the Ducks to be more explosive while he can make a massive impact by opening holes in the run game in a way that the younger players can't.

Koi Perich - Safety

The Oregon Ducks went out and added Koi Perich in the Transfer Portal, hoping to drop one of the best safeties in the country into the hole left behind by Dillon Thieneman. Thus far, Koi Perich hasn't looked like one of the most elite defensive backs in the country, getting lost in coverage at times, while outgoing transfer Kingston Lopa's breakout at Cal has added pressure to the Minnesota transfer.

If the Oregon defense is going to rebound after the showing against Oklahoma State to slow this USC offense, Perich is going to need to have his best game as a Duck thus far. Perich is likely going to be matched up with elite freshman Mark Bowman often, and after getting beat for a TD by Boise State's tight end earlier in the season, he's going to have to excel in coverage.

Nasir Wyatt - Edge Rusher

While Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei get the most attention, Nasir Wyatt continues to flash as the Ducks' most talented pass rusher. Wyatt has created the second most pressures on the team, with 8 in half as many pass-rushing snaps (36) as Matayo Uiagalelei, with 12 pressures in 72 snaps. Wyatt has been impactful whenever he's seen the field, and if he gets extended playing time he's going to need to continue to disrupt offenses.

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