Moseley's USC @ Oregon Setup

[Targus]

Oregon faces a two-game homestand needing to win once to clinch the Pac-12 North division and another home game for the conference championship Dec. 2. The first chance to do so is Saturday at 5 p.m., when the Ducks face Southern California.

The Ducks (9-1, 7-0 Pac-12) moved up to No. 4 in the polls and the BCS Standings this week after knocking off previously unbeaten Stanford on the road Saturday. Oregon has won nine straight since its opening loss to LSU, now the unanimous No. 1 team in the country, and could also clinch the division title and a championship home game with a Cardinal loss to Cal on Saturday. (But what fun would that be?)

The Trojans (8-2, 5-2) beat Washington 40-17 on Saturday for their fifth win in six games, the exception being their overtime thriller against Stanford. USC's only loss in regulation this season was at Arizona State on Sept. 24. The Trojans are No. 18 in the AP poll but are ineligible in the coaches' poll and for consideration in the BCS Standings due to ongoing NCAA sanctions. But a win over the Trojans still can help their opponents, in the minds of voters and the formulae used by computer rankings.

Here's how the Ducks and Trojans stack up statistically:

SCORING OFFENSE
3) Oregon, 46.70 ppg
27) Southern California, 34.10 ppg

TOTAL OFFENSE
8) Oregon, 498.30 ypg
28) Southern California, 444.70 ypg

YARDS PER PLAY OFFENSE
4) Oregon, 7.32 ypp
25) Southern California, 6.30 ypp

RUSH OFFENSE
5) Oregon, 291.80 ypg
50) Southern California, 166.30 ypg

PASS OFFENSE
23) Southern California, 278.40 ypg
79) Oregon, 206.50 ypg

PASS EFFICIENCY OFFENSE
12) Oregon, 160.948 rating
21) Southern California, 152.39 rating

SACKS ALLOWED
4) Southern California, .60 pg
6) Oregon, .70 pg

THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS
24) Southern California, 46.88%
39) Oregon, 44.26%

RED-ZONE OFFENSE
8) Oregon, 91% (45 trips, 35 TDs, 6 FGs)
77) Southern California, 79% (42 trips, 24 TDs, 9 FGs)

SCORING DEFENSE
33) Oregon, 21.70 ppg
55) Southern California, 24.80 ppg

TOTAL DEFENSE
49) Southern California, 363.80 ypg
61) Oregon, 383.90 ypg

YARDS PER PLAY DEFENSE
19) Oregon, 4.84 ypp
57) Southern California, 5.39 ypp

RUSH DEFENSE
8) Southern California, 100.40 ypg
56) Oregon, 147.20 ypg

PASS DEFENSE
78) Oregon, 236.70 ypg
100) Southern California, 263.40 ypg

PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE
17) Oregon, 112.87 rating
63) Southern California, 130.14 rating

SACKS
5) Oregon, 3.20 pg
33) Southern California, 2.30 pg

THIRD-DOWN DEFENSE
39) Oregon, 36.53%
61) Southern California, 39.86%

RED-ZONE DEFENSE
41) Oregon, 79% (38 trips, 21 TDs, 9 FGs)
86) Southern California, 86% (37 trips, 25 TDs, 7 FGs)

TURNOVER MARGIN
27) Oregon, plus-.50
70) Southern California, minus-.10

PENALTY YARDAGE
69) Southern California, 52.30 ypg
103) Oregon, 64.90 ypg

TIME OF POSSESSION
18) Southern California, 32:09
120 (yep, last)) Oregon, 24:03

The Ducks remained No. 1 nationally in net punting this week, with 44.33 yards per attempt, nearly two yards better than No. 2 Florida State. Oregon has also been strong on kickoff coverage, currently ranking 19th at 18.90 yards yielded per kick.

Individually, LaMichael James remains first nationally in rushing with 150.88 yards per game, and slipped to third in all-purpose running with 190.25 yards per game. Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas is 16th in all-purpose running (149.70), seven spots behind USC's Robert Woods (164.90). James is ninth in scoring with 10.50 points per game, Alejandro Maldonado is 36th (8.00) and Thomas is 44th (7.80). Darron Thomas is 19th in points responsible for, which accounts for passing touchdowns, with 16.44 per game, and 10th in pass efficiency with a 160.85 rating, seven spots ahead of USC's Matt Barkley (152.54). Barkley is 10th in points responsible for at 18.60 per game. Jackson Rice is third in punting with 46.81 yards per attempt. Josh Kaddu is now No. 28 in sacks with .65 per game. Oregon's Thomas is 30th in kick returns with 25.23 yards per return. Eddie Pleasant is 31st in pass defended with 1.11 per game. USC's Woods is 30th in punt returns (9.08), fifth in receptions per game (9.20) and ninth in receiving yards per game (112.60). Barkley is 14th in both completions (24.70) and passing yards (278.20) per game.

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[Ed O]

Does anyone else think:

1. USC is underrated, and
2. It's ridiculous that they are "ineligible" for the coaches poll?

They struggled early in the year (only beating the Gophers by 2? Ugh) but only a triple OT loss to Stanford and a beatdown at ASU have kept them from a perfect season so far. I think #18 is a bit low IMO.

Ed O.

 

[PapaG]

Does anyone else think:

1. USC is underrated, and
2. It's ridiculous that they are "ineligible" for the coaches poll?

They struggled early in the year (only beating the Gophers by 2? Ugh) but only a triple OT loss to Stanford and a beatdown at ASU have kept them from a perfect season so far. I think #18 is a bit low IMO.

Ed O.

It's hard to tell where USC is really at. They lost big @ASU, went to ND and won big (completely outplayed ND, although they 'only' won by 14), and played Stanford tough, but, then again, they always play Stanford tough, no matter who is favored.

I don't know if they're underrated or overrated. I do think that UW's Super Bowl was on 11/5 at Husky Stadium, and being manhandled in that game meant that a letdown was in order, since they had no shot at the Pac North, and also had already clinched a bowl game.

The Ducks may have a bit of a letdown, but then again, I thought WSU was their letdown game, considering the UW/Stanford/USC/Civil War stretch right after that game.

I agree that 18 is too low, considering the other 2-loss teams ahead of them.

 

[Targus]

I do think USC is underrated.

The good news is we get USC at Autzen. I really don't understand that ASU game. How does that happen?

USC will def be up for this game. In a way, it's their bowl game. But, considering they've had one ranked team on the schedule (updated) and have scored 39 TD's while allowing 30 to Oregon's 57/24 - slight edge to Oregon.

I think we're just the better team.

 

[Ed O]

I agree we're the better team and Oregon will NOT have a let down the way it might against, say, Arizona... because how could you ever look past USC?

Ed O.

 

[Targus]

USC is always USC. Kelly has dominated them!

Under Kelly's tenure at Oregon, can we legit say a Kelly team has let down/eased up/looked past a conference team?

Kelly just seems to field teams who are ready to play.

 

[PapaG]

I agree we're the better team and Oregon will NOT have a let down the way it might against, say, Arizona... because how could you ever look past USC?

Ed O.

Chip doesn't allow his team to look past anybody, and of the final 3 games, USC is the one that I'm sure the players won't look past. Especially DAT, since Kiffen basically threw him under the bus after Oregon 'stole' him from USC. Remember Kiffen's quotes about how he wondered how Oregon got DAT?