No. 1 Oregon (7-0, 4-0 Pac-10) at No. 24 USC (5-2, 2-2), 8 p.m. (ABC)
Line: Oregon by 6 1/2.
Series Record: USC leads 37-17-2.
Last time: 2009, Oregon 47-20.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
In a role reversal from most recent seasons, Oregon visits the Coliseum as the highly-ranked team with everything to lose, while USC hopes to boost its reputation with an upset victory. The Ducks are on track for the national championship, but only if they maintain their offensive momentum against a USC team with its usual wealth of talent. USC will attempt to gain a fraction of Oregon’s home-field advantage by loading up the Coliseum with cardinal-wearing fans for a night described by Trojans QB Matt Barkley as their bowl game.
KEY MATCHUP
Oregon RB LaMichael James vs. USC’s linebackers. The Trojans have been inept tacklers during a disappointing half-season for the school’s worst defense in more than a half-century, and the nation’s leading rusher might be its toughest player to tackle. USC’s front seven must maintain discipline and gap integrity to have any hope of forcing the Ducks to air it out.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Oregon: DE Kenny Rowe. The Long Beach native leads the Ducks with four sacks, and his defensive line’s play against USC’s running game could force Barkley into tough throwing situations. Rowe also will play a key role in Oregon’s pass rush.
USC: WR Robert Woods. The touted freshman has scorched the Trojans’ last two opponents, catching 19 passes for 340 yards and five TDs. His connection with Barkley is solid, and his speed rivals the fastest Ducks. He’ll also return kickoffs.
FACTS & FIGURES
It’s the seventh straight meeting between the schools in which both are ranked. Oregon routed USC 47-20 at Autzen Stadium last year, a humiliation that hasn’t been forgotten by the returning Trojans. … Both of the Trojans’ losses this season came on field goals in the final seconds. … The Ducks have 54 players from California. … James leads the nation with 161.8 yards rushing per game, and is just 29 yards shy of 1,000. With his next 100-yard rushing game, he’ll break a tie with Jonathan Stewart for the school record. … Oregon leads the nation in scoring offense (55.1 points), total offense (569.1 yards) and turnover margin (+1.71). … USC is allowing 402.4 yards per game, the most the Trojans have given up since records were first kept in 1955. USC has allowed two opponents to rack up 500 yards of offense in a season for the first time since 1996, and six of the Trojans’ opponents have scored on their final drives.
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