Paul Finebaum Names 'Biggest Beneficiary' of Oregon's Upset Week 2 Loss

Paul Finebaum in attendance of the Mississippi Rebels against the Miami Hurricanes. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Oregon Ducks suffered a historic loss in Week 2 of the college football season. The Ducks started the season ranked No. 2 and were a trendy national championship pick.

Oregon Suffers Stunning Loss to Oklahoma State

However, after narrowly winning 34-27 over the Boise State Broncos, the Ducks fell to No. 6 in the rankings. They would then face the Oklahoma State Cowboys, who had the longest losing streak in the FBS at 12. That includes an opening-game loss to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Still, Oregon would face a stunning upset as Oklahoma State knocked them off 39-31.

Coming into the season, many thought there would be at least three teams from the Big Ten make the College Football Playoff. The Indiana Hoosiers, Oregon and the Ohio State Buckeyes were thought to be those teams. After that, there were teams many thought had a chance to sneak in if the Big Ten got four teams in. But after this loss, there aren't many who think the Ducks are a guaranteed playoff team anymore.

So, that opens up the door for a team like the No. 12 USC Trojans. The Trojans have started the year 3-0, but now will enter Big Ten play. The Trojans face the Ducks, Ohio State and Indiana, as well as the Penn State Nittany Lions this year.

Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley leaves the field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Says Lincoln Riley Is the Biggest Beneficiary of Oregon's Stunning Loss

Still, ESPN's Paul Finebaum revealed on "The Matt Barrie Show" that he believes Riley's team is the biggest beneficiary of Oregon's loss.

"Lincoln Riley is the biggest beneficiary because they've looked pretty good," Finebaum said. "That was originally the biggest game of the day in two weeks."

USC Now Has a Major Opportunity in the Big Ten

USC still doesn't have an easy path to the first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. A strong showing in some of the Trojans' toughest games could put Riley's team firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation.

The Ducks' loss does not guarantee anything for USC, but it creates an opportunity that did not exist in quite the same way before Saturday. If the Trojans continue winning, they could turn Oregon's stunning setback into an opening of their own, and the next chapter of that race could come when USC and Oregon meet on the field.

USC takes on the winless Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.