Five Most Important Oregon Ducks Against USC

These five Oregon Ducks have a chance to make the biggest impact on Saturday against the USC Trojans.

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning | Darby Winter

The No. 20 Oregon Ducks picked up an 84-0 win over Portland State after the upset loss to Oklahoma State, but Saturday's road game against the No. 12 USC Trojans will be a real litmus test for Oregon coach Dan Lanning and company.

The Ducks offense looked out of sync multiple times against the Cowboys while the Oregon defense allowed Oklahoma State to gain 554 total yards, averaging 7.4 yards per pass and 5.9 yards per rush. Meanwhile, penalties have continued to plague Oregon as a team, averaging 8.0 penalties per game, good for No. 105 in the FBS.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, and USC head coach Lincoln Riley shake hands before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Still, Oregon is slightly favored against USC. According to DraftKings, the Ducks are favored by three points on the road vs. the Trojans. Which players will be most important for Oregon to come away with a win?

Dante Moore

Through three games, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is completin 68.5 percent of his passes, averaging 283 yards and 3 touchdowns per game. The Ducks have scored 30 points in every contest so far, but the offense has not necessarily jumped out of the gates against Boise State and Oklahoma State.

A slow start against USC on the road could dig too deep of a hole for the Ducks to climb out of, and Moore can set the tone early with a few successful drives. The Trojans defensive line has the capability of disrupting Moore in the pocket, and Oreon's ability to run the ball early will be key.

Oregon offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu snaps the ball to Oregon quarterback Dante Moore as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Iapani Laloulu

Along the same lines, the entire Ducks offensive line will be pivotal against USC. Trojans defensive linemen Jide Abasiri, Luke Wafle, Kameryn Crawford, and Alex VanSumeren present a formidable front for Oregon's offensive line.

Picking one position is difficult as offensive tackles Zaire Addison and Fox Crader will key, but the leader of the group is center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu, and protecting the interior of the line is most important. Will the Ducks have success running between the tackles, taking some of the pressure off of Moore?

Ify Obidegwu

Oregon defensive back Ify Obidegwu works out as the Oregon Ducks practice at Barry University ahead of the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, 2025, in Miami, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On the other side of the ball, Ducks cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. is a known commodity after a breakout freshman season. With the Ducks experimenting with Finney in the nickel position, cornerback Ify Obidegwu becomes that much more important against USC and the Trojans offense.

USC receiver Trent Mosley is dealing with an injury, but the Ducks secondary will still have to defend receivers like Tanook Hines and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt as well as tight end Mark Bowman. Ducks cornerback Na'eem Offord could be in store for a breakout performance if Finney does in fact spend time at nickel, but Obidegwu's performance against the Trojans is pivotal regardless.

Obidegwu can have an impact both defending receivers like Dixon-Wyatt on the outside while also making the necessary plays in the run game.

Matayo Uiagalelei

Oregon outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei, left, and Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman bring down Washington running back Jonah Coleman as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Staying on Oregon's defense, outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei and the Ducks defensive line have had some flashes of dominance in 2026, but the consistency feels lacking.

USC rushed for 52 yards as a team in the loss to Oregon in 2025, and forcing the Trojans to be one-dimensional again would greatly benefit the Ducks' chances of leaving Los Angeles with a win. Uiagalelei finished the '25 matchup with one sack and two tackles for loss, and that level of disruption will be needed in week 4.

Any one of the Oregon starting defensive linemen could have been picked as most important players for the USC game, but Uiagalelei's ability to bring down the quarterback could have the biggest impact.

Jamari Johnson

Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson is questionable for the game with an undisclosed injury, making his status an important one to monitor.

If Johnson is able to go for the Ducks, his ability as a target in the passing game and as a blocker in the running game should give the Oregon offense a boost. His veteran presence can help the offensive line while also giving Moore a big target, especially in the red zone.

With wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan sidelined with an injury, Johnson's pressence in the offense becomes even more important. If Johnson cannot go, the Ducks still have receivers with game-changing potential in Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart, but the tight end's size adds a different element to the offense.

The Ducks will reveal a final injury report two hours before kickoff, which is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, Sept. 26.

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