Oregon Takes Aim at 8th Straight Victory; Favored by 5 on the Road at USC
By Ryan Bolta in College Football
Updated: April 3, 2020 at 10:48 am EDTPublished:
- #7 Oregon (7-1) faces USC (5-3) in the Coliseum Saturday night
- The Ducks are the only remaining undefeated team in Pac-12 conference play
- Oregon QB Justin Herbert has completed 68.3% of his passes while throwing for 22 touchdowns and just 1 interception
The #7 ranked Oregon Ducks are the only remaining undefeated team in Pac-12 conference play and will look to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Trojans at the Coliseum this Saturday.
USC already knocked off a top ten opponent at home earlier this year when they beat the Utah Utes in September who were ranked 9th at the time.
In the Oregon vs USC odds they are 5-point underdogs, can they pull off another upset?
#7 Oregon vs USC Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | -5.0 (-105) | -190 | O 62 (-110) |
| USC | +5.0 (-115) | +165 | U 62 (-110) |
All odds taken Oct. 31
Take a look at the Four-Team Playoff Odds and you’ll find only one of these programs. The door is open for Oregon to join the college football playoff conversation especially after Oklahoma was upset last week. I think the Ducks will make a statement and cover this week for three reasons.
Justin Herbert Continues to Impress NFL Scouts
Let’s get the most obvious reason out of the way shall we? Justin Herbert is good. That’s an understatement when you take into consideration his 68.3% completion percentage, 21 touchdowns and only 1 interception.
He’s as elite as they come in college football and should enjoy being on the big stage Saturday in California.
Numbers don’t lie. 📈
Justin Herbert leads the nation in QB rating in the red zone and ranks 2️⃣nd in FBS in red zone completion percentage. 💪@oregonfootball | #Pac12FB pic.twitter.com/9Tm94iu1Iv
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) October 24, 2019
Many were surprised when Herbert returned for his senior season but it’s games like this that helped him make the decision to hang around in Eugene for one more year. His stats have impressed the scouts and this game in particular can go a long way towards proving he’s worth one of the top selections in next year’s draft.
RB Duo Give Ducks Plenty of Options
Herbert can chuck it, that we know. What is a little more surprising is the dynamic duo of CJ Verdell and Cyrus Habibi-Likio. The pair have combined to tear up defenses in the Pac-12, accounting for over 1,000 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns.
Over 500 dollars worth of supplies for the homeless! Not even close to being done. Follow @cyfytv on Instagram for more content. Video coming soon with the raffle winner. Thank you to everyone who has donated🔥‼️ pic.twitter.com/79OYAt63qY
— Cyrus Habibi-Likio (@cyfytv) October 22, 2019
Verdell is smaller and slightly more dynamic, while Habibi-Likio is the muscle down in the trenches. These two backs give Oregon several options offensively and they will all come in handy against a USC defense which ranks 39th in the ESPN efficiency rankings.
Coaching Matters in College Football
One of the reasons Herbert returned to school was to play another season under head coach Mario Cristobal. Despite losing a winnable game in the opener to Oregon, he has rallied the troops and helped them reel off 7 straight victories. That’s a solid job getting things back on track and not letting one defeat derail the season.
If we beat BYU (or ND/UW) this weekend would very likely be College Gameday, something we haven’t seen over these last four years
*sighs in Clay Helton era*
— Barstool USC (@BarstoolSC) October 27, 2019
On the opposing sideline you’ll find Clay Helton. The coach on one of the hottest seats in college football, who despite a roster laden with talent has managed to lose games to BYU, Washington and Notre Dame (did you see them last week against Michigan?). Helton just isn’t a coach that can be trusted in a big game right now and that’s a factor in this game.
Trust the Ducks
The Ducks still have a shot at the playoff and I’m taking them to cover the number in what could be a preview of the eventual Pac-12 title game.
Expect this score line to mirror the one of the last game between these two teams – USC won 45-20 in 2016 and I expect Oregon to flip the script and win by a similar score line in this one.
PICK: Oregon -5.0 (-105)
Sports Writer
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
