All of the attention in the Pac-12 this week will be on powerhouses Stanford and Oregon. The obvious appeal of the game is its consequences on the BCS race. The less obvious appeal of the game is its impact on the Nov. 19th match-up between USC and Oregon.
According to USC Athletics, the time of the USC-Oregon game will be determined by who wins this Saturday's Stanford-Oregon game. If the Ducks beat the Cardinal, USC and Oregon will play primetime football on ABC (starting at 5:00 PT). If the Ducks lose, the Trojans and Ducks will be relegated to the ESPN late game (starting at 7:15 PT).
From USC's end, fans and players alike will be rooting for an Oregon victory on Saturday. Everyone likes to see their team play in primetime, and Trojans fans in particular would like another shot at a Pac-12 contender on the national stage.
The Trojans lost a thriller against Stanford earlier this year, falling 56-48 in triple overtime after an incredible back-and-forth game by both sides. USC is good enough to play with any team in the country at home, and Oregon could present the Trojans with a chance to avenge the loss to Stanford.
USC fans, tune in on Saturday at 5:00 Pacific Time for Oregon-Stanford. In addition to the possibility of a primetime match-up against Oregon, you may get to watch Stanford sustain the loss that it barely avoided against USC.