USC Fans Will Love What College GameDay Success Means Before the Oregon Game

The No. 15 USC Trojans will face the No. 7 Oregon Ducks on Saturday in a game with major College Football Playoff implications and ESPN's College GameDay in Eugene. Can the Trojans replicate the recent success when featured on the show against Oregon?

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before an NCAA football game with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The No. 15 USC Trojans will face the No. 7 Oregon Ducks in one of the highly anticipated matchups of week 13, with major College Football Playoff implications for both teams. With the game having high stakes, ESPN's College GameDay will be on site in Eugene for Saturday's pivotal Big Ten showdown.

USC's Recent Success on ESPN's College GameDay

(Left)Pat McAfee, Joey McGuire, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit watch a screen during ESPN's College GameDay live broadcast on the Texas Tech University campus on Nov. 8, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. | Mateo Rosiles/ Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Trojans' recent success on College GameDay could give them an advantage in what will be a hostile road environment at Autzen Stadium on Saturday. USC currently has the best record at 18-6 out of any school in the country when featured on College GameDay.

Before the retirement of the legendary Lee Corso earlier this season, USC had an undefeated 17-0 record when he selected the Trojans for his headgear picks. USC's last appearance on College GameDay came against the No. 4 Washington Huskies in Seattle on Nov. 12, 2016.

The Trojans, led by former star quarterback Sam Darnold, went on to upset the Huskies 26-13 on the road. Can the Trojans repeat history on Saturday in Eugene by knocking off another top-10 team?

What a Win Over Oregon Means For USC's College Football Playoff Hopes

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans cornerback Alex Graham (27) safety Christian Pierce (24) cornerback Decarlos Nicholson (17) and safety Kennedy Urlacher (28) celebrate after Iowa Hawkeyes turn the ball over on fourth down during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

An upset win over a top-ten Ducks team on Saturday would put the Trojans in a prime position to earn a spot in the 12-team playoff bracket, if they finish the season with a 10-2 record. It would also be a huge boost for USC's playoff resume, as they are currently 1-2 against current CFP top 25 teams.

The one-ranked win came against No. 18 Michigan at home on Oct. 11, where the Trojans won 31-13 in a dominating fashion. USC's two losses both came on the road to No. 21 Illinois (34-32) and No. 9 Notre Dame (34-24).

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Biggest Keys For USC vs. Oregon Matchup

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

As they did in their last College GameDay appearance, the Trojans will need to have an impactful performance from their quarterback and their defense to pull off the road upset. Saturday's matchup against Oregon will be the toughest road test that Jayden Maiava faces all season. It is crucial that Maiava takes care of the football and leads USC down the field on long offensive drives.

Entering the game, Maiava is the Big Ten's passing leader with 2,868 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Maiava's ability to make big pass plays down the field and utilize his running ability will both be huge against the Ducks. Maiava's connection with star wide receiver Makai Lemon is a strength of USC's offense that Oregon's defense will need to contain if it hopes to be successful in getting defensive stops and forcing the Trojans to punt.

On defense, USC will need to contain Oregon's dominant running back duo of Noah Whittington and Jordon Davison. Running back Dierre Hill Jr. is also a player from the group who could have an impact against USC.

Oregon running back Noah Whittington runs for a touchdown as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Nov. 14, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Trojans have allowed six rushing touchdowns in their last four games, a statistic that Oregon will look to exploit when facing USC's defense on Saturday. The kickoff for the pivotal matchup between USC and Oregon at Autzen Stadium is set for 12:30 p.m. on CBS. USC fans interested in tuning into ESPN's College GameDay can watch starting at 6:00 a.m. PT.