Brian Kelly, Rick Neuheisel Predict Winner of USC-Oregon Game

Former head coaches Brian Kelly and Rick Neuheisel have finalized their predictions for the USC-Oregon game.

Southern California’s Jayden Maiava, center, scrambles against Oregon during the second half Nov. 22, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

No. 20 Oregon (2-1) opens Big Ten play at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against No. 12 USC (4-0, 1-0) in a matchup with major College Football Playoff implications (7:30 p.m. EDT, NBC).

The Ducks were considered national championship frontrunners before the season, but a clunky performance in non-conference play has them at risk of falling out of College Football Playoff contention.

Oregon held on for a 34-27 victory against Boise State in Week 1, a game it trailed at halftime in front of a home crowd. The Ducks fell 39-31 on the road against an Oklahoma State team that dropped a stinker of a loss at Tulsa the week before, plunging them down to the back half of the top 25.

The Ducks combined for 209 rushing yards in those games, although some of that was a product of abandoning the run against Boise State. The defense's performance against Oklahoma State was particularly concerning, especially given all the returning talent it boasted on its front and in the secondary.

For USC, repeated failures on the big stage by Lincoln Riley have the Trojan faithful questioning what his true ceiling is. The Trojans have the roster tools to make a College Football Playoff push, but their start to the season hasn't been reassuring.

USC won all of its non-conference games against Group of Six teams. The offense looked as advertised, but the defense was all over the map; San Jose State's 26 points were scored primarily in garbage time, but Lunch Winfield and the Louisiana offense put together a respectable 30-point outing against Gary Patterson's unit.

The Big Ten opener was a 42-35 win at Rutgers, another suspect game for the Trojans defensively. Even with occasional interceptions, Dylan Lonergan and the Scarlet Knights finished the afternoon with 460 yards of offense.

Ahead of the matchup, former college football head coaches Brian Kelly and Rick Neuheisel made their official game picks on CBS Sports' "Inside College Football."

Brian Kelly: "Is this a roster that we can believe in?"

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore dances to “Shout!” as the Oregon Ducks host the Portland State Vikings on Sept. 18, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kelly noted the hype surrounding Oregon's roster may have been a miscalculation by media in the offseason and that this game will prove whether or not it was worth the hype.

"Is this a roster that we can believe in for Oregon?" Kelly said. "If this is truly a top-notch roster, we will see that this Saturday. If it isn't, it's going to be a long season for them. I don't want to call it the game of the year for Oregon, but you have to put up or shut up and this is one of those games. My official pick is USC."

Neuheisel: "Does Lincoln Riley have the patience to run the ball?"

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans running back Waymond Jordan (2) carries the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lincoln Riley is a branch from the Mike Leach tree of offensive philosophy, and even though his offense is more conventional than that of the air raid, it's still pass happy. Neuheisel noted that as a potential weakness for USC in his official game pick.

"The question to me is, does Lincoln Riley have the patience to run the ball and take possessions away from Oregon?" Neuheisel said. "He's a high-flying guy, his quarterbacks are all over the NFL. If he has the ability and the patience to run it and protect the ball, they can win the game. I don't believe that's going to be the case, I'm going to take Oregon."