By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The USC Trojans suffered another difficult loss on a big stage Saturday night, falling 41-27 to No. 20 Oregon at the Coliseum before 75,000 fans.
Jayden Maiava passed for 326 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten), but USC’s defense struggled to slow Oregon’s quarterbacks after starter Dante Moore was forced to leave the game with an injury.
Moore Injured, Raiola Steps In
Moore left the field in an ambulance during the second quarter after USC linebacker Desman Stephens hit him late while he was sliding. Stephens was ejected for targeting, and the game was delayed for 15 minutes while Moore received medical attention.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning later said Moore was in recovery but stopped short of providing a detailed update.
“He’s in recovery, so I don’t want to speak too soon, but he is moving, and he does have the ability to move,” Lanning said.
The injury brought an emotional shift to the game and the Oregon sideline.
“Seeing him like that shook the whole team,” said Dylan Raiola, who completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. “But at the same time, we knew we were going to fight for him.”
Raiola, who transferred to Oregon after two seasons as Nebraska’s starting quarterback, immediately gave the Ducks a spark. He threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Evan Stewart on his second snap.
From there, Raiola helped Oregon produce 270 yards and four touchdown drives in the second half.
Dakorien Moore put the Ducks ahead with a 29-yard touchdown reception with 8:35 remaining, and Jordon Davison added a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:03 left to help seal the victory.
“Certainly (there was) an energy change when Dante got hurt,” Lanning said, describing the hit as “a disgusting play.”
“We’ve got a lot of guys on the sideline who were emotional in that moment, including myself. All these guys went out and played for 5 (Moore’s number). But every guy on the sideline had faith in Raiola. He was ready for his moment.”
Oregon Controls the Second Half
Dierre Hill Jr. rushed for two touchdowns after halftime as Oregon (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) generated 504 total yards in its conference opener.
The Ducks entered the game after a rocky start to the season, including a narrow victory over Boise State and a loss to Oklahoma State after beginning the year ranked No. 2 in the preseason.
Against USC, however, Oregon found its offensive rhythm when it mattered most.
Another Tough Night for USC
For USC, the loss continued a difficult stretch in high-profile games under coach Lincoln Riley.
The Trojans had not lost at the Coliseum since 2024, but Oregon’s second-half surge exposed continued problems on the defensive side of the ball.
USC will have to regroup quickly as it continues Big Ten play.
Next Up
The Trojans return to the Coliseum this week to host Washington.