USC
Oregon
Players Mentioned
USC Football Starts November Play By Hosting No. 7 Oregon
October 27, 2019 | Football, Features
THEMES
*USC enters the final month of the regular season by welcoming No. 7 Oregon to the Coliseum--where Troy is 4-0 in 2019--for a crucial Pac-12 night contest on FOX.
*This will be USC's fifth AP-ranked opponent of the year (Troy has split the first 4 games), evidence of a schedule ranked among the nation's most difficult.
*A win would not only keep the Trojans on the path to a Pac-12 title, but it would make them bowl eligible after not qualifying last season.
*It is USC's first time playing the Ducks since 2016 due to the Pac-12's scheduling rotation.
*Although USC has captured nearly twice as many games in the Oregon series as the Ducks (including winning at a near-75% clip at home), the series has been tilted somewhat to the Ducks since the mid-1990s.
*It's USC's seventh night game of 2019.
*It also is Trojan Family Weekend, with thousands of parents and family members joining their USC students at the game.
*The brothers Pittman and Winston will each be on opposite sidelines.
*USC captured its first road win of 2019 last Saturday at Colorado as the Trojans overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit behind a pair of long, late TDs passes from Freshman All-American candidate QB Kedon Slovis to Biletnikoff Award candidate WR Michael Pittman Jr. (the game winner came with just over 2 minutes to play to cap a 12-play, 89-yard drive), upping head coach Clay Helton's record against Pac-12 South foes to 18-4. The Trojans prevailed despite not having their top 3 running backs and 4 defensive starters. Slovis, who is completing 72% of his throws, directs an offense that averages nearly 450 total yards and 30-plus points. His receiving crew of Pittman, Tyler Vaughns and Amon-Ra St. Brown, who together have 140 receptions and 16 TDs this year (and 385 career grabs with 38 scores), is the best wideout trio in the nation. Speedy true frosh TB Kenan Christon stepped up again last week to pace the rushing attack. OT Austin Jackson and OG Alijah Vera-Tucker anchor Troy's offensive line. On the other side, USC has counted on the steady play of ILB John Houston Jr. and DLs Marlon Tuipulotu and Jay Tufele to help a young defense (usually 9 freshman and sophomore starters) overcome its rash of injuries and come up big in crunch time. Australian P Ben Griffiths has become a factor booting the ball, while WR Velus Jones Jr. is approaching Adoree' Jackson's school career kickoff returns and kick return yardage marks.
*Head coach Mario Cristobal's Oregon club has won its last 7 games (including a close one at home over Washington State last Saturday) since dropping its opener to Auburn. The Ducks' offense, which is averaging 466 total yards and 36 points per outing, is led by QB Justin Herbert, who has had just 1 pass intercepted this season. He ranks in the Top 25 nationally in TD passes, passing efficiency, completion percentage and passing yardage. His key receivers are WRs Jaylon Redd, who has 7 TD catches, and Johnny Johnson III. Sharing the carries are RBs CJ Verdell, Travis Dye, Cyrus Habibi-Likio and Darrian Felix. Oregon's defense is stifling, ranking in the national Top 25 in scoring defense, rush defense and total defense, as well as in interceptions, turnover margin, red zone defense and tackles for loss. Leading tacklers are ILB sTroy Dye, who has 351 career tackles, and Isaac Slade-Matautia, along with CB Thomas Graham Jr. and safety Jevon Holland, who is second in the nation in punt returns and eighth in interceptions.
RANKINGS
*USC is not ranked in the AP sports media or Amway coaches poll this week. Oregon is ranked seventh by AP and eighth by the coaches.
SERIES
*USC holds a 38-20-2 record in its series with Oregon, dating to 1915 (not including Troy's 2005 victory that was later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 39-20-2). However, USC has lost 4 of the past 6 meetings, 5 of the last 8 and 10 of the past 16 meetings (not including the 2005 vacated win; original record: 10 of the last 17). *USC has a 24-8-1 mark against Oregon in Los Angeles (and 1-0 in Pasadena).
*In 2016 in the teams' most recent meeting, TB Ronald Jones II tied a USC game record by rushing for 4 touchdowns, QB Sam Darnold threw 2 TDs and USC's defense shut down Oregon's potent offense as the Trojans posted a 45-20 Homecoming victory over the Ducks in the Coliseum. Troy's defense limited the Ducks, who came into the game averaging 519.1 total yards (248.0 rushing) and 40.5 points, to their fewest total yards since 2009 (288, including 85 rushing) and a season-low point total. USC had 579 total yards. See page 4 for a complete recap of that most recent matchup.
VERSUS PAC-12
*USC has won 70.0% (471-194-29) of its games against current Pac-12 opponents (not including 9 wins later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 480-194-29, 70.3%).
IN COLISEUM
*USC has a 449-139-27 (.752) all-time record in the Coliseum since the stadium opened in 1923 (not including 6 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 455-139-27, .754). USC's 621 games played in the Coliseum (including the 6 vacated wins) is the second most that any school has played in its home stadium (behind Georgia Tech's 697 in Bobby Dodd Stadium).
AT NIGHT
*USC owns a 180-65-4 (.731) all-time record at night, including 107-29-4 in the Coliseum, 58-29 on the road and 15-7 at neutral sites. (Does not include 5 wins and 1 loss vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 185-66-4, .733 overall, 110-29-4 in the Coliseum, 17-8 at neutral sites.)
IN NOVEMBER
*USC has a 260-133-20 (.654) all-time record while playing in the month of November (not including 3 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 263-133-20, .656).
INJURIES
*USC has had a number of starters and key backups miss games with injuries in 2019. They include (with games missed): ILB Jordan Iosefa, knee (8), ILB Solomon Tuliaupupu, foot (8), DL Jacob Lichtenstein, knee (8), OT Clayton Bradley, hand (8), QB JT Daniels, knee (7), OLB Eli'jah Winston, ankle (6), OG-OT Andrew Vorhees, ankle (6), OLB Abdul-Malik McClain, knee/shoulder (4/1), DL Christian Rector, ankle (3), CB Olaijah Griffin, back (2), TE Josh Falo, ankle (2), CB Max Williams, knee (2), S Talanoa Hufanga, concussion/ shoulder (1/1), TB Vavae Malepeai, knee (2), ILB Palaie Gaoteote IV, ankle (2), QB Kedon Slovis, concussion (1), CB Greg Johnson, shoulder (1), CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart, concussion (1), TB Markese Stepp, ankle (1), TB Stephen Carr, hamstring (1), WR Munir McClain, knee (1), DL Drake Jackson, ankle (1), OT Liam Jimmons, concussion (1) and CB Chris Steele (1), knee. In 2019, USC has started 3 different quarterbacks and has entered games down to a fourth string tailback or with 4 defensive starters out or missing both starting cornerbacks or both starting defensive ends.
USC-OREGON CONNECTIONS
*USC has 4 players from Oregon on its roster--S Talanoa Hufanga (Crescent Valley HS), DL Brandon Pili (Westview HS), DL Marlon Tuipulotu (Central HS) and OLB Eli'jah Winston (Central Catholic HS)--while the Ducks have 48 Californians.
*USC WR Michael Pittman Jr. and Oregon WR Mycah Pittman are brothers, as are USC OLB Eli'jah Winston and Oregon OLB La'Mar Winston Jr.
*USC TB Vavae Malepeai's uncles, Silila (1990-94), Pulou (1993-95) and Tasi (1994-96), played football at Oregon.
*OT Bernard Schirmer's uncle, Matt Toeaina, played defensive tackle at Oregon (2003-06).
*USC assistant strength and conditioning coach Christian Tupou's brother, Fenuki, was an offensive tackle at Oregon (2007-08).
*USC strength and conditioning coach/director for Olympic sports Josh Heidegger was a javelin thrower at Oregon (2011-12).
*Oregon TE Jacob Breeland is the son of late former USC OLB Garrett Breeland (1984-85).
*Oregon assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Keith Heyward was a USC assistant (2014-15).
*Oregon offensive analyst Prentice Gill was a graduate assistant at USC (2016-18).
*USC ILB Ralen Goforth will celebrate his 19th birthday on Saturday (Nov. 2).
RENOVATED COLISEUM
*Fans attending USC's 6 home games in 2019 at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will enjoy the stadium's completed $315-million renovation, which includes new seats (many with increased legroom), aisle handrails, additional aisles, a new stadium-wide Wi-Fi system, upgraded concession stands, new ticket scanners, TVs and game audio in public areas, new graphics, and a restored mural in the peristyle. There also is a new south-side structure housing suites, loge boxes, club seats, a new concourse, a new press box and a rooftop club.
