Oregon Rises in AP Poll After Strong Win Over USC Trojans

The Oregon Ducks are moving up in the latest AP Poll after a 41-27 win over the USC Trojans on Saturday.

Oregon entered the weekend as the 20th-ranked team in the country, but they have jumped up to 15th following their win. This was a major win for the Ducks, as they were off to a brutal start to the season with a shocking upset loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Oregon had a strong game against the Trojans despite losing Dante Moore to a scary injury. Moore was hit in the head during a scramble by Desman Stephens II and remained on the field for several minutes afterward. Stephens was ejected for his hit and has now been suspended by USC.

Moore was then carted off the field and taken to a local hospital. The star quarterback has movement in all extremities and has been diagnosed with a concussion.

It was a brutal collision and a scary moment, but the Ducks stayed poised, with Dylan Raiola taking over at quarterback. Raiola had a great performance, completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

He led the team efficiently downfield, which helped them take down USC. Raiola connected with different weapons, as tight end Jamari Johnson had seven receptions for 119 yards in his return. Dierre Hill Jr. had four receptions for 105 yards, Evan Stewart caught seven passes for 56 yards and a touchdown, Dakorien Moore had three receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown, and Messiah Hampton had five receptions for 40 yards.

While Raiola was effective in finding his weapons, the run game also showed up for Oregon. Hill rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns, with Jordon Davison adding 66 yards and a touchdown. They were a dynamic combination out of the backfield for the Ducks, helping them pull off the win on the road.

Oregon's defense also played closer to expectations entering the season. Bear Alexander and Matayo Uiagalelei each recorded a sack, while Koi Perich picked off Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava.

They have a ton of talent on defense, with multiple projected 2027 NFL Draft picks, but they didn't execute early in the season.

With the team playing much better, the Ducks are back on track and could earn a spot in the College Football Playoff with a strong finish to the year. Their next test comes in a couple of weeks against the 23rd-ranked UCLA Bruins.