Three USC Trojans Rising and Three Falling After Loss to Oregon

LOS ANGELES - Saturday’s top-20 matchup between the then-No. 12 USC Trojans and then-No. 20 Oregon Ducks felt like a must-win for both programs. The Ducks entered Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum still with the intent of bouncing back from Week 2’s dramatic upset to Oklahoma State. The Trojans, on the other hand, were looking to pick up a crucial win ahead of a tough slate of conference matchups.

However, only one team can emerge victorious, and on Saturday night, it was the Ducks who walked away with a 41-27 win.

USC Football Oregon Ducks Lincoln Riley Washington Huskies College Football Playoff Big Ten USC Trojans players rising — Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola celebrates a touchdown by Oregon running back Dierre Hill Jr. as the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans on Sept. 26, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Trojans now sit at 4-1 on the season. However, despite only having one loss, their path to the College Football Playoff is a lot more difficult. With three ranked opponents still left on the schedule in No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Indiana and No. 23 UCLA, the Trojans have little room for error moving forward if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.

USC will look to clean up its mistakes and build upon some of the positives that came from the loss as they prepare to face the Washington Huskies at home on Saturday.

The Oregon game also provided a closer look at the Trojans’ personnel, with some players seeing their stock rise while others made costly mistakes. In fact, one of those mistakes could already have an impact on the Trojans heading into Saturday’s matchup with Washington.

Three Players Rising, Three Falling Following Loss to Oregon

Risers:

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Wide Receiver

If there was one player who continued to prove himself despite USC’s loss, it was wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.

The true freshman has become one of the most reliable pieces in Lincoln Riley’s passing game, and his performance against Oregon only added to that. Dixon-Wyatt finished the night with seven catches for 114 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, leading the Trojans in receiving.

More importantly, Dixon-Wyatt consistently found ways to make plays against an Oregon defense that came into the matchup with plenty of speed and experience in the secondary. His 31-yard touchdown in the second quarter gave USC its only lead of the night, and he continued to make plays throughout the game.

All seven of Dixon-Wyatt’s catches also resulted in first downs. Through four games, Dixon-Wyatt now has 25 receptions for 372 yards.

King Miller, Running Back

Running back King Miller also continued to make a case for a larger role in USC’s offense. Miller finished with 13 carries for 74 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry while producing the longest run of the night for the Trojans with a 27-yard burst. He also added 10 yards as a receiver.

What stood out most was the way Miller consistently created something when USC needed a spark on the ground. His 27-yard run helped set up one of the Trojans’ early scoring opportunities, and he continued to run with the physicality USC needed against Oregon’s defensive front.

The game script eventually forced USC to put more of the offense on Jayden Maiava’s arm, but Miller still looked like the most effective option in the running back rotation.

Jahkeem Stewart, Defensive Tackle

Jahkeem Stewart’s return was another positive for USC, especially considering how much the Trojans need their defensive front to improve moving forward.

Stewart finished with two tackles, both coming behind the line of scrimmage. While the numbers were not eye-popping, his return gave USC another disruptive presence along the interior of its defensive line.

USC allowed Oregon to find too much success offensively, particularly late in the game, but getting Stewart back into the rotation gives defensive coordinator Gary Patterson another piece to work with as the Trojans prepare for Washington.

Fallers:

Desman Stephens II, Linebacker

The most obvious faller coming out of Saturday’s game is Desman Stephens II, and it goes beyond his performance on the field.

Stephens was ejected in the second quarter after being called for targeting on a hit to Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. Moore was injured on the play and later transported to the hospital, while Stephens was removed from the game.

The targeting call itself has become part of a larger conversation surrounding quarterback slides and the difficulty defenders can face when a quarterback slides. Oregon's Dan Lanning called the hit "disgusting" after the game, but there has also been discussion about whether defenders are sometimes put in difficult positions when trying to react to a quarterback who changes his status as a runner.

Regardless of where someone lands on that part of the discussion, Stephens’ reaction afterward makes the situation more difficult to overlook. He was seen celebrating on the sideline while Moore was receiving medical attention, which brought additional criticism beyond the original play.

Stephens was subsequently suspended by USC for one game, meaning he will not be available when the Trojans host Washington.

Jide Abasiri, Defensive Tackle

Defensive tackle Jide Abasiri’s night ultimately came down to one mistake that had a much bigger impact than the rest of his stat line.

Abasiri finished with four tackles, including three solo stops, but his most notable moment came late in the fourth quarter when he was called for roughing the passer on Dylan Raiola.

USC had just forced an incompletion on third-and-15 with the game tied at 27. Instead of getting the ball back and giving the offense a chance to take control, the penalty gave Oregon a fresh set of downs.

The Ducks took advantage of the second chance, eventually finding the end zone on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Raiola to Dakorien Moore to put Oregon back in front.

That is the kind of mistake that becomes magnified in a game decided by one or two crucial moments. USC had managed to fight its way back into the game, and the defense appeared to have finally gotten Oregon off the field. The penalty erased that stop.

Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans Coach

Although he is not a player, the biggest name on this list is also the one facing the most pressure moving forward: Lincoln Riley.

USC’s loss to Oregon dropped the Trojans to 4-1, and while one loss does not eliminate them from the College Football Playoff conversation, the margin for error has become much smaller.

Riley is now facing a stretch that includes Washington, Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland and UCLA. Three of those teams are currently ranked in the top 25, including No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Indiana.

Riley is also trying to change the perception of USC’s performance against ranked opponents. The Trojans have struggled to consistently turn those opportunities into wins during his tenure, and another loss against Oregon adds to that concern.

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