Special teams miscues doom USC in 42-27 road loss to No. 7 Oregon

USC loses 42-27 to Oregon as the Trojans lost the turnover battle, gave up a punt return touchdown and allowed 436 total yards.

Maiva gets his fourth-down pass tipped at the line of scrimmage and Oregon takes over at its 26-yard line with 2:24 remaining, leading 42-27. USC has two timeouts remaining plus the two-minute timeout, but Oregon fans are starting the celebration at Autzen.

Eleven plays. 79 yards. 5:58 off the clock. Oregon scores again as Noah Whittington goes into the endzone from 9 yards out. The Ducks have put up 422 yards of offense today and now lead 42-27. The Trojans need to score twice in 5:30 and probably can’t let the Ducks touch it again on offense.

Maiava finds Lake McRee over the middle and the USC tight end runs through two Oregon defenders at the goal line. But the two-point conversion goes through the hands of Walker Lyons, who can’t come down with a leaping grab in the back of the endzone. USC trails 35-27 with 11:32 remaining in the game.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore drops the ball after play action on a 3rd and 9 play and Devan Thompkins wraps him up for a loss. USC gets the ball back after the punt at its own 42-yard line. Every possession is a must-get touchdown for the Trojans now with 13:34 remaining and down 14 points.

The Ducks have a 35-21 lead and the ball at their own 38-yard line as the fourth quarter starts.

Jayden Maiava is sacked by Oregon defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei and loses the ball. USC offensive tackle Justin Tauanuu recovers the fumble but the Trojans are forced to punt.

Dante Moore fires a strike between USC safeties Christian Pierce and Kennedy Urlacher on third and short as tight end Kenyon Sadiq makes a tough catch in the endzone through contact. It’s 35-21 Oregon with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter.

USC converts a huge fourth down with a Maiava keeper and then he hits Makai Lemon for a 4-yard touchdown. It’s Oregon 28, USC 21 with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter.

Lemon now has seven receptions for 34 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also thrown for a 24-yard touchdown.

USC safety Kennedy Urlacher makes a huge play by tipping the ball to himself and coming up with an interception. USC takes over at its own 48-yard line with 10:24 remaining in the third quarter. Huge play by Urlacher.

Jayden Maiava throws his second interception of the game as he locks in on Makai Lemon on 4th down and Jadon Canady steps in front of it. Oregon takes over at its own 36-yard line with 11:36 remaining in the third quarter.

Oregon goes for a 4th-and-short on its opening possession and the USC defense stuffs a sneak by the Oregon tight end. The Trojans take over at the Ducks’ 46-yard line looking to cut into this 14-point lead.

USC defensive end Anthony Lucas jumps offside on what would have been a third down incompletion and then a punt for Oregon. The Ducks get a free first down for what feels like the 10th time today.

When USC kicker Ryon Sayeri is missing chip-shot field goals, you know things aren’t going the Trojans’ way. He hits the upright from 27 yards out and USC comes up empty before halftime. Oregon will take a 28-14 lead into halftime and receive the kick to open the fhird quarter.

Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher takes a wildcat snap and goes into the endzone from one yard out and the Ducks push their lead to 28-14 with 1:52 remaining in the first half.

Here comes an important drive for USC to get some points because the Trojans will kick off to start the second half.

Oregon kicker Atticus Sappington misses a 44-yard field goal but USC linebacker Desman Stephens is flagged for leaping as he goes up and over the line and makes contact with the long snapper. Oregon goes from getting zero points on the drive to a first down at the 13 yard line.

The Trojans have spent most of the first half shooting themselves in the foot and the Ducks are on the doorstep of a two-score lead.

USC just had a snap sail over Maiava’s head for a 9-yard loss. Maiava then got pressure on the next play and threw a ball into double coverage for an interception. On the play, Ja’Kobi Lane was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play.

This is now three Oregon drives in which their starting field position has been aided by a USC penalty. The Ducks have the ball at their own 44-yard line and all the momentum.

USC lost a road game at Notre Dame this season when the Irish hit the Trojans with a kickoff return touchdown. Oregon just had another massive special teams play with an 85-yard punt return when Sam Johnson hit a 49-yard line drive punt down the middle of the field and there was not a single USC player anywhere near returner Malik Benson. It’s 21-14 Oregon and USC wasted its first defensive stop of the day.

USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane has been phenomenal early in this game. He has four catches for 71 yards and a few of them have been tough in traffic. Big game and he’s shown up.

USC takes advantage of an Oregon first-down penalty and a drop on third down as the Ducks are forced to punt for the first time today. The Trojans take over at their own 16-yard line with a chance to grab the lead again.

Lincoln Riley goes into the trick play bag again as Makai Lemon takes a backwards pass and throws a touchdown to Tanook Hines, who makes a spectacular grab at the goal line to go up against coverage and bring it in. USC needed a big one and Lemon/Hines delivered. It’s 14-14 with 14:52 left in the first half.

USC has the ball at the Oregon 24-yard line, facing a 2nd-and-1 as the second quarter opens. The Trojans have had zero answer for the Ducks’ offense today, so putting seven points on the board is a must here.

Tanook Hines comes down with a great catch on a well-thrown deep ball but is penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct either for spinning the ball or saying something to the Oregon bench. That’s a ridiculous flag to throw in a game like this when it hasn’t been thrown all season. Embarrassing call.

Oregon goes 67 yards in 11 plays and punches in another score as Dante Moore connects with tight end Kenyon Sadiq for a wide open touchdown off play action. It’s 14-7 Oregon with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter.

Oregon is averaging 7.8 yards per play through two drives and is 2-for-2 on third downs.

USC’s offense has to punt as a floater from Maiava to Lane falls incomplete. Lane was wide open coming across the field and tried to one-hand the ball on the run but couldn’t bring it in. That’s the type of play on the road, as an underdog, in this kind of environment that has to be made.

USC is then flagged for kick catch interference on the punt and Oregon will start with the ball at its 33-yard line.

USC startign center Kilian O’Connor goes down with an injury on a short second-down run with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter. It looks to be the same knee he hurt against Illinois that sidelined him for several games. J’Onre Reed was listed as questionable on the availability report today but he’s warming up to go in.

USC takes the opening drive 75 yards in 11 plays and Jayden Maiava hits Makai Lemon for a 8-yard touchdown on a 3rd-and-4 play. That’s a statement drive to open the game for the Trojans. USC went 3-for-3 on third downs and rushed for 16 yards.

With Elijah Paige out, USC will open with Tobias Raymond at left tackle and Kaylon Miller at left guard.

USC wins the toss and elects to receive the ball to open the game.

With starting safety Kamari Ramsey out, fellow safety Christian Pierce will wear the green dot helmet communications today.

USC’s captains for this game are quarterback Jayden Maiava, linebacker Eric Gentry, long snapper Hank Pepper, safety Christian Pierce, offensive lineman Tobias Raymond and wide receiver Asante Das.

Pierce is going to get the start in this game with both Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald out. Raymond will start at left tackle.

USC safety Kamari Ramsey is not out with the Trojan safeties as they go through pregame position drill warmups. He’s on track to not play in this game and that’s a big hit to the USC defense.

It’s a November day for football here in Eugene. It’s cold and it doesn’t appear the temperature will rise much above 50 degrees. But there’s very little to no wind at this point and the sun is starting to peek through the clouds. Looks like we’re going to avoid any rain. After so many weather games for the Trojans this season (Purdue, Notre Dame, Iowa) it figures the Trojans would have to come to Oregon in November to get a dry game.

USC will officially be without starting safety Bishop Fitzgerald today as the Big Ten Availability Report is released. Starting safety Kamari Ramsey and starting left tackle Elijah Paige are both listed as questionable. Oregon will be without receivers Dakorien Moore, Gary Bryant and Evan Stewart. The big news on the injury front for the Ducks is starting left tackle Isaiah World is listed as questionable. He’ll be one to watch during pregame warmups.

Oregon will reportedly be without wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. and Dakorien Moore for this game. The Ducks played without them last week and tight end Kenyon Sadiq responded with a huge game. He’ll be someone to watch with the Duck receivers sidelined.

For USC, all eyes will be on safeties Bishop Fitzgerald and Kamari Ramsey, plus offensive tackle Elijah Paige. Fitzgerald is the least likely to play while the other two are probably questionable at best coming in. If neither safety can’t go, USC will turn to Christian Pierce and Kennedy Urlacher as they did during the second half against Iowa. The offensive line shuffle could be interesting to watch. USC has used both Justin Tauanuu and Tobias Raymond at left tackle in games Paige has missed. Raymond had a tough game pass blocking against Iowa last week after shifting from left guard to tackle during the game.