The USC Trojans are not eligible for postseason play this season, so they are reduced to the role of spoiler in the Pac-12 Conference. On October 29, the Trojans nearly knocked off the Stanford Cardinal, then No. 6 in the BCS, before falling in triple overtime in Los Angeles. Next Saturday, the Trojans have their toughest test of the year, on the road in Eugene against the Oregon Ducks, who will rise in the BCS standings on Sunday.
Oregon took control of the Pac-12 North Division with a 53-30 win over Stanford at Palo Alto on Saturday night and look like a good bet for the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on January 2. But the Ducks could have bigger sites in mind, and possibly rightfully so. Brad Edwards of ESPN projected the Ducks to be fourth in the BCS standings:
- LSU
- Oklahoma State
- Alabama
- Oregon
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
Oregon was No. 7 in the BCS standings last week. USC has enough trouble in the state of Oregon, not winning a road game in the state since 2005. But facing the Ducks on the road will require the game of the year from the Trojans. If next Saturday can be anything like the triple-overtime 56-48 thriller with Stanford, it will be a fun night in Eugene on November 19.
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