Critical Plays: Oregon Knocks Off USC 41-27

Everything changed in this game with 10:12 left in the second quarter. Dante Moore took off from the USC 23 yard line and scrambled for 10 yards to get a first down on the Trojan 13 yard line. What happened next could change the trajectory for Oregon’s season, let alone this game. In spite of the scary injury to their star quarterback, the #20 Ducks were able to gut out an impressive and inspirational 41-27 win over the #12 Trojans at the Coliseum. There were so many critical moments in this game and some of them happened when the play was already blown dead. Head Coach Dan Lanning deserves a lot of credit for keeping his team focused, poised, and in control after the hit on Moore. Let’s look at some of the plays that won this game for Oregon. Dylan Raiola finds Evan Stewart for an Oregon Touchdown The hit by USC linebacker Desman Stephens II on Dante Moore was dirty and it was extremely dangerous. His lack of empathy after the play was some of the most disgusting and unsportsmanlike behavior I have ever seen in all the years of watching football. I don’t think anyone would have blamed Oregon for coming out of that a little dazed and unprepared to play football after watching their leader taken away in an ambulance. And yet, that’s not how this team is built. The players walked to the line of scrimmage as the ambulance drove away in the distance and backup quarterback Dylan Raiola found Evan Stewart for the quick touchdown. This play was so important because it showed that the team wasn’t rattled. They were still focused on winning, and Raiola was capable of taking the reins of this offense. This play showed that Oregon was still in this game and they were going to win this for Moore. Brandon Finney Jr With the Huge Stop on 4th and 7 The defense had been struggling all second half to get stops. After holding USC scoreless in the first quarter, the Ducks had given up 10 points in the second quarter and 10 points in the third quarter. It seemed like this game was heading towards a shootout, and the Oregon defense had not been playing particularly well. Then came the drive that started on the USC 25 yard line with 8:35 left in the game. The Ducks had just scored to make it 34-27, and this was the moment that Oregon needed to get a stop and potentially put the game away. It started out rough, with Jayden Maiava hitting Zacharyus Williams for 21 yards for a first down on the USC 46 yard line. The Trojans had been carving up the middle of the field all game, and it seemed like that would continue to be the case. But then the Ducks held firm. They held Riley Wormley to only 3 yards and then forced three straight incompletions to give the ball back to Raiola and the offense. Brandon Finney Jr had the final stop on 4th down with the impressive pass breakup that ended the drive for USC. This was the defensive stop that Oregon needed, and it gave the ball back to the red hot offense that was basically scoring at will. Jordon Davison Puts the Final Nail in the Coffin This was the killing blow to USC. The defense had just forced a turnover on downs and then Oregon marched 49 yards down the field and crushed their hopes of a comeback. Jordon Davison had been struggling to get yardage all night after that 45 yard run on the first play for the offense. Though he finished with 16 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown, if you remove that 45 yard scramble, he only had 15 carries for 21 yards and an abysmal 1.4 yards per attempt. That’s a rough night for the young running back, but the 2 yard push to score the final touchdown made it all worth it. He definitely got some help from his friends to break the plane. DUCKS SCORE! Jordon Davison has scored at least one touchdown in ALL four of Oregon's games so far this season.📺 Big Ten Saturday Night: Oregon at USC on NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/byKqmz85AO— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 27, 2026 The Oregon running game has had its ups and downs this season, and tonight definitely saw its fair share of those struggles. The Ducks had to settle for a field goal to end the first half after getting stopped on three straight runs by Davison that started on the USC 4 yard line. Still, they kept at it and this final touchdown was enough to ruin USC’s perfect season. Dierre Hill Was Everywhere Tonight On Offense for Oregon This play wasn’t a score, and chronologically this isn’t in line with the other three plays, but it’s important to call out how critical Dierre Hill was for this offense. Hill finished with 4 catches for 105 yards and 15 carries for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was definitely one of the most fired up players after the Dante Moore injury. The second-year running back was a potent weapon for Raiola and this offense. All four of Hill’s receptions were from Raiola, so he was a favorite safety valve for the backup quarterback. It’s likely that Oregon doesn’t walk away with a win if not for the play of Hill, especially in the second half. This play and the touchdown run that he had in the 4th quarter were huge for the Ducks. The Ducks will need more of Dierre Hill when they play UCLA in a couple weeks.