College Game of The Week: #22 USC at #23 Oregon
It’s no surprise USC and Oregon – both of whom are used to being the among the best – have managed to claw their way into the last few ranking spots in the last half of the season. Both teams are heading into Saturday’s game with matching 7-3 records, and both are coming off of a four-game winning streak.
These teams are pretty equal in a lot of ways: Not only are both teams looking for their 8th win, but the loser will likely fall out of the Top 25, making #22 USC at #23 Oregon a pretty important game for the Trojans and Ducks.
Both teams have gone through their fair share of turmoil this season: Oregon QB Vernon Adams Jr. was out earlier in the year with a broken finger, and USC changed QBs after a shaky 3-2 start. But the dust seems to have settled, as Adams is back with a 4-0 since returning and Helton is 4-1 since taking over.
The Trojans and the Ducks haven’t met since 2012, when Oregon edged out USC 62-51. However, the Trojans lead the series 37-19-2, despite being positioned as the underdogs in this year’s matchup.
If USC can beat Oregon on the road and UCLA at home next week, they’ll move on to the Pac-12 Championship, so it’s kind of a big deal for the Trojans. If the Ducks win and Cal defeats Stanford, Oregon will find themselves in the Championship game.
With post-season implications on the line, there’s no doubt this is going to be a fun game to watch.
Other games on Sling TV this weekend: (All times Eastern)
Thursday
East Carolina at UCF, 7:30pm, ESPN
Louisiana Monroe at Texas State, 9:30pm, ESPNU
Friday
Air Force at Boise State, 9:30pm, ESPN2
Saturday
#21 Memphis at Temple, 12pm, ESPNU
#17 North Carolina at Virginia Tech, 12pm, ESPN
Purdue at #5 Iowa, 12pm, ESPN2
Illinois at Minnesota, 12pm, ESPNews
#19 Houston at Connecticut, 3:30pm, ESPNU
Wake Forest at #1 Clemson, 3:30pm, ESPN2
#22 USC at #23 Oregon, 3:30pm, ESPN
Louisville at Pittsburgh, 3:45pm, ESPNews
Mississippi State at Arkansas, 7pm, ESPN
Georgia Southern at Georgia, 7pm, ESPNU
Tennessee at Missouri, 7:15pm, ESPN2
Tulane at SMU, 8pm, ESPNews
California at #11 Stanford, 10:30pm, ESPN
Colorado at Washington State, 10:45pm, ESPN2