Nick Saban Has a Strong Take on Dante Moore and Oregon’s Offense

Ahead of their road clash against the No. 12 USC Trojans, Nick Saban still believes in the No. 20 Oregon Ducks offense led by quarterback Dante Moore.

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Nick Saban on the ESPN College Gameday set during the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The moment has arrived for the No. 20 Oregon Ducks will take on the No. 12 USC Trojans on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The matchup will be one of the top games on an exciting Week 4 college football slate, filled with several clashes between ranked opponents in the SEC and Big Ten.

At the end of ESPN's College GameDay, legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban picked Oregon to beat USC.

"I'm going to go Oregon because I have a lot of faith, trust, and confidence in Dan Lanning. That he'll be able to continue to get his team to gel and come together," said Lanning.

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) warms up before a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Saban and Kirk Herbstreit were the only hosts to pick the Ducks to beat USC on Saturday with Rece Davis making his pick of the Trojans known.

"I think it's a shootout, and I think Dan Lanning's squad wins it on the road," said Herbstreit.

Among the storylines in Saturday’s game at the Coliseum is the quarterback duel between Oregon’s Dante Moore and USC’s Jayden Maiava. Moore and Maiava are among the top quarterbacks in college football, with both looking to lead their teams to the CFP this season.

The duel between Moore and Maiava will play a role in who wins the Big Ten clash at the Coliseum. The Ducks have yet to lose a road game in Big Ten play under coach Dan Lanning and recently saw their 12-game road winning streak dating back to 2023 end with a 39-31 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12.

High Expectations For Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) warms up before a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans are looking for that signature win that could propel them to the CFP for the first time in program history, there could be more on the line for the Ducks and Dante Moore, as Saban believes that the Oregon quarterback could be in for a big performance in the team's biggest game of the season. 

“He struggled against ranked opponents in the past, with some turnovers, but I do think the important thing for Oregon is their offensive team plays better around him, because I think he’s a very talented guy and very capable of having a big day,” Saban said on College GameDay. 

If Oregon were to lose to the Trojans at the Coliseum, they would fall to 2-2 on the season and likely need to win out to make the CFP for the third consecutive season, especially given the Ducks have two remaining games against current ranked opponents on their schedule: the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (Nov. 7) and No. 18 Michigan Wolverines (Nov. 14).

Sep 12, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After his struggles in the loss to Oklahoma State, Moore bounced back in the Ducks' 84-0 win over the Portland State Vikings, throwing for 280 yards and four touchdowns on 19-of-23 passing. With the Ducks still trying to find an offensive rhythm under new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, Saturday’s clash against a Trojans defense that continues to struggle in the secondary under new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson gives Moore a chance to capitalize.

USC Trojans Look to Snap Losing Streak vs. Oregon Ducks 

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Trojans haven’t beaten the Ducks since 2016, as the Ducks have won four straight, a streak that started in 2019. According to the latest DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds, the Trojans are 3.5-point underdogs against the Ducks. 

With some predicting the Ducks to continue their success against the Trojans, Stanford Steve on College GameDay went a different direction, picking USC outright to beat the Ducks and remain undefeated. 

If the Trojans were to win, it would extend their winning streak at the Coliseum to 11 games, as they went undefeated at home last season, a year in which they finished at 9-4 with an Alamo Bowl loss to the TCU Horned Frogs and three regular-season road losses to the Illinois Fighting Illini, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Oregon Ducks. The Ducks and Trojans will kick off from the Coliseum at 4:30 p.m. PT, with the game broadcast on NBC. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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