What Oregon football's 41-27 win over USC means heading into bye week
· Yahoo Sports
In a critical game with College Football Playoff ramifications, largely one the Oregon football team couldn't afford to lose, the Ducks outpaced USC Sept. 26 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, 41-27.
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And the Ducks (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) did it mostly without their star quarterback, Dante Moore, who was taken off the field on a stretcher following a violent and scary collision to his head after a slide on a scramble.
After Moore went down early in the second quarter, backup QB Dylan Raiola and the Oregon offense went to work and repeatedly threw up splayed hands showing five fingers, score after score.
The win is massive to keep Oregon in contention for its third straight College Football Playoff berth after a stunning Week 2 loss to Oklahoma State. It also ensures the Ducks open Big Ten Conference play with a win heading into their first and only bye week of the season next week.
Here's what the win means for the Ducks and several takeaways from the important win.
Dylan Raiola masterful after scary Dante Moore injury
Scrambling for a first down early in the second quarter, Moore slid and was hit hard and violently in the head by the forearms of USC defender Desman Stephens II. After lying motionless on the ground for an extended period, he was eventually taken off the field on a stretcher and driven out of the stadium in an ambulance.
Former five-star quarterback prospect and Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola entered the game for the Ducks and was masterful. The junior threw for 289 yards on 19-for-25 passing with two touchdown passes.
Raiola finished the drive Moore started with a touchdown pass and went on to score on three of his final four drives afterward.
He was one of many heroes Saturday night.
"Every guy on the sideline had faith in him," coach Dan Lanning said of Raiola. "He was ready for his moment."
Jamari Johnson, Dierre Hill Jr. rise to occasion
Boy, did Oregon miss preseason All-American tight end Jamari Johnson. After being sidelined each of the last two weeks due to injury, Johnson caught seven passes for 119 yards and had another long gain via a one-handed grab wiped out due to holding.
The Ducks' offense, which has struggled at times on key downs, consistently found Johnson when it mattered to preserve drives.
"He's that security blanket for our quarterbacks," Lanning said.
Then there's Dierre Hill Jr., who became the first Oregon running back since 2012 to record over 100 receiving yards in a game and also scored twice on the ground in the third quarter. The sophomore was huge in creating chunk plays, of which the Ducks had 12.
Oregon defense mostly torched but held up on key downs
Despite the win, Oregon's defense still has many questions to answer. The Ducks gave up 446 yards of total offense and USC QB Jayden Maiava tossed the rock around for 326 yards and two TDs.
The Trojans moved the ball at will past midfield. But when it mattered, the Oregon defense stepped up several times. USC went just 2 for 11 on third downs and had to settle for three field goals deep in Oregon territory, which included a miss.
Perhaps most importantly, the Ducks held off a late rally when Brandon Finney Jr. broke up a pass near midfield on fourth down.
Against Boise State and Oklahoma State, the Ducks weren't winning those downs.
What Oregon's win means moving forward
Most importantly, the Ducks are still in the race for their third straight CFP appearance, likely not able to afford two September losses if they want to accomplish their season goals in January.
USC is a team that will likely be competing for a playoff spot themselves, and an early season win against the Trojans, on the road, is massive for Oregon's resume after a Week 2 stunning loss to Oklahoma State.
The Ducks still have a lot of work to do, especially defensively, but they head into their lone bye week of the season with a massive bounce back win following an embarrassing road defeat in Stillwater.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at [email protected].
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This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: What Oregon football's 41-27 win over USC means heading into bye week