Oregon Ducks Fans Color To Wear vs. USC Trojans In Rivalry Showdown

EUGENE - The No. 20 Oregon Ducks fly south to face Pac-12 foe turned into Big Ten rival, the No. 12 USC Trojans.

The Oregon-USC showdown carries major College Football Playoff stakes for both teams. ESPN’s Playoff Predictor has Oregon and USC with the same 21 percent chance to reach the CFP entering the game.

An Oregon win would raise the Ducks’ chances to 32 percent, while a loss would drop them to 7 percent. For USC, a win would lift its chances to 35 percent, while a loss would leave the Trojans at 9 percent.

Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; The Oregon cheer team perform for fans before a game between the Oregon Ducks and the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

USC is 4-0 and knows how to start fast. The Trojans have led at halftime in all four games, outscoring opponents 106–24 in the first half. That makes Oregon’s start especially important: Falling behind early would leave the Ducks chasing one of the nation’s most productive offenses at the Coliseum.

Oregon defensive lineman Bear Alexander’s return to USC adds another layer to the matchup. Alexander played for the Trojans in 2023 and 2024 before redshirting during a turbulent 2024 season. Now he returns in an Oregon uniform with a chance to help disrupt USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, who leads the nation in passing yards and touchdowns.

Oregon Ducks Bear Alexander Transfer nfl draft usc trojans football big ten squat amauri washington bri amaranthus — Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Bear Alexander and reporter Bri Amaranthus | Seigher Brown

Each game, fans are encouraged to wear a certain color for the 2026 football schedule, even for away games.

What color do Oregon fans wear on Saturday? The Ducks color schedule encourages fans to wear white at the Coliseum.

Below is everything Ducks fans should know ahead of the Big Ten rivalry game, including the latest Los Angeles weather forecast, TV information and pregame quotes from coach Dan Lanning.

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast for Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon like great football-playing weather: a mostly-sunny day with a high of 88 degrees, and a clear night with a low of 68 degrees.

Five Things Ducks Fans Should Know

1. Oregon’s road streak faces a real test.

The Ducks are 9-0 in Big Ten road games since joining the conference, but their loss at Oklahoma State snapped a 12-game road winning streak. This is their chance to show how they respond away from Autzen.

2. The Ducks have won four straight against USC.

That includes last season’s 42-27 win in Eugene with ESPN College GameDay in town. Oregon hasn’t played a regular-season game at the Coliseum since 2019, though, and USC holds a 24-9-1 series edge in Los Angeles.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore dakorien moore jeremiah mcclellan boise state broncos prayer dan lanning autzen stadium — Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore | Jake Bunn

3. Dante Moore enters the matchup without an interception this season.

Moore has 849 passing yards and nine touchdowns through three games. Against Portland State, he threw four touchdowns in one half. However, USC should offer a much clearer measure of where Oregon’s offense stands.

4. Jeremiah McClellan’s injury puts Oregon’s receiver depth in the spotlight.

McClellan had six catches for 150 yards against Boise State and led the team in receiving yards before his injury. Between fifth-year senior Evan Stewart, sophomore Dakorien Moore, freshman Messiah Hampton (or the Prince Of New York, as Moore calls him,) freshman Gatlin Bair and freshman Hudson Lewis... how the Ducks respond without McClellan is one of the most intriguing storylines.

Aug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and linebacker Taylor Johnson (50) react in the second half against the San Jose State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

5. Jayden Maiava is a Trojan to watch.

USC’s quarterback Jayden Maiava leads the nation with 1,173 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns through four games. Oregon’s defense faces its biggest passing test yet.

HOW TO WATCH: OREGON DUCKS (2-1) and USC TROJANS kick off at 4:30 p.m. PT in Memorial Coliseum. The TV broadcast for the game is NBC.

POLLS: Oregon opened the 2026 season ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll and Coaches' Polls, the highest preseason ranking in program history.

After two wins over Boise State and Portland State, and an upset loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Ducks have fallen to No. 20.

ODDS: The Oregon Ducks are 2.5-point favorites against USC on FanDuel SportsBook. The over/under is listed at 61.5 total points.

LOCATION: L.A. Memorial Coliseum | Los Angeles, Calif.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greets fans before the game against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

TV: NBC

RADIO: On radio, fans can listen on KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene) | KFXX-AM 1080 (Portland) | Sirius: 133 | XM: 197

QUOTABLE: Lanning's comments about freshman receiver Messiah Hampton are notable after the news about McClellan's broken foot that will keep him sidelined "for some time," per Lanning. Hampton finished with 71 receiving yards and his first two career touchdowns on a game-high six catches vs. Portland State.

“I think he (Messiah Hampton) stepped in a game where he was going to have a role in that game regardless," Lanning said. "But his role grew quickly. Because right before pregame, you're anticipating J-Mac (Jeremiah McClellan) being able to go out there, and then Messiah goes out there.”

“But that confidence built was a good example," Lanning continued. "He was able to make some plays for us the week before, and it's been built throughout fall camp and some of the things he's done, so it's always been about strength in numbers for us."

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