USC vs. Oregon Football: USC Will Threaten but Not Ruin Title Hopes for Ducks

The week after obliterating the Stanford Cardinal in what was supposed to be the game of the week, the Oregon Ducks will face off against another tough opponent this week, the USC Trojans. While USC won't win the game, they'll do enough to threaten the Ducks. 

USC has been a steadily improving team all season long. They've scored 40 points in four of their last six games and at least 30 in each of those six. They have a tremendous pair of wide receivers in Robert Woods and Marquise Lee who have combined for 1,850 yards and 19 touchdowns.

They have a stud running back in Curtis McNeal, even if he isn't getting a lot of press. Most of his 800 yards and five TDs have come in the last five games. 

Most importantly they have a first-round quarterback in Matt Barkley, who may be the best quarterback in the nation this side of Andrew Luck. Barkley has a 152.5 passer rating and has passed for 2,782 yards and 29 touchdowns to only six picks. 

All of this means that the Trojans could realistically give the Ducks a run for their money. 

Unfortunately for them though, the Ducks have just as much firepower on the other end of the ball, if not more. Quarterback Darron Thomas who has tossed for 1,704 yards and 22 TDs. LaMichael James has nearly 1,500 total scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns. De'Anthony Thomas has nearly 800 yards in offense and has found the end zone 12 times. 

Oregon has scored 35 points in every game since losing to LSU Week 1, topped 40 all but once and broken 50 points four times. They are a team that can run with USC, and be even faster. 

The problem is that while Oregon has shown an ability to hinder the elite offenses, holding Stanford to 30 and Arizona to 31, USC has struggled. Stanford posted 56 on them, 42 in regulation. Arizona scored 43 against them. 

So while both teams will be able to bring the offense, only one will show up on defense and that will be the difference in the game. A key stop in the fourth quarter will be the difference in this game and the Ducks will fly away in the end.