Senior Day A Celebration For Ducks

Saturday, November 22

Eugene, Ore.

12:30 PM

University of Oregon

10-1 , 7-1

USC

8-3 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Southern California

Oregon

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

11/22/25 | Football

Box Score Box Score: #7 Oregon 42, #15 USC 27 Postgame Notes Photo Gallery

Oregon posted its third win this season over a ranked opponent Saturday, beating USC in Autzen Stadium.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — During a five-game win streak to open the 2025 season, Oregon showed it could throw knockout blows. During a five-game win streak over the latter half of the season, the Ducks are proving they can absorb some, too.

USC kept landing punches with its pass game Saturday. But it was Oregon that proved tougher physically and mentally, taking all the Trojans had to offer and handing them a 42-27 defeat in what was billed as a College Football Playoff elimination game at Autzen Stadium.

USC's vaunted passing game was as advertised, with the Trojans completing five balls of at least 24 yards, and drawing several penalties called on the UO secondary. But Oregon's balance, depth and special teams all were assets as the No. 7 Ducks took the lead in the second quarter and never let it go to upend the No. 15 Trojans.

The Oregon Ducks take on the USC Trojans at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on November 23, 2025 (Eric Evans Photography)

"Their team is obviously very explosive on offense," UO coach Dan Lanning said. "Ultimately, I think a lot of it comes down to physicality. For us to be able to go out and rush for almost 180 yards, and hold them to 52 rushing yards, gives an indication of how you win this game."

The win keeps the Ducks (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) in the thick of the hunt to host a first-round College Football Playoff game Dec. 19-20. And with a win next week at Washington plus an Ohio State loss to Michigan, Oregon would make a return trip to the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 6.

Saturday's win was Oregon's third this season over a ranked opponent; the other two were against Penn State and Iowa, neither of which was ranked entering this weekend. How will the victory over USC affect the Ducks' résumé in the eyes of the CFP selection committee? That remains to be seen when rankings are updated Tuesday.

"We just played a really good team, and a lot of times when we play really good teams, they become unranked all of a sudden," Lanning said. "That's not our fault, right? Maybe it is our fault, but all we're worried about is playing the teams that we play and doing the job that we need to do. And we did that job today."

The Oregon Ducks take on the USC Trojans at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on November 23, 2025 (Eric Evans Photography)

The Ducks got the job done Saturday despite obstacles that might have been overwhelming for another team. Left tackle Isaiah World played minimally after being injured the previous week, and center Iapani Laloulu was sidelined before halftime against the Trojans with an injury. The secondary had its hands full with USC's passing attack, and UO quarterback Dante Moore threw an interception while working with a receiving corps that at one point was down to three healthy scholarship players Saturday.

But Oregon was also dominant in the trenches, and had a game-breaking special teams play when Malik Benson returned a punt for a touchdown. And though the UO secondary had some moments it will want back, the Ducks also had two interceptions to win the turnover battle on the day.

"Towards the end of the year, people tend to get hurt and get injured, and that's just the sport of football," said Moore, who followed his record-setting efficiency against Minnesota by going 22-of-30 for 257 yards and two scores Saturday. "But I think coach Lanning does a great job at practice, making sure everybody's getting reps. … At the end of the day, a next-man-up mentality has been what's been going on. We're doing a great job."

The Oregon Ducks take on the USC Trojans at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on November 23, 2025 (Eric Evans Photography)

Saturday's game matched up two of the top three scoring offenses in the Big Ten, and thus perhaps not surprisingly, a shootout developed early. The Trojans took the opening kickoff and drove to a touchdown, the first team to do so against the Ducks this season.

Oregon answered by driving to a score of its own, the 13th rushing touchdown of the year for freshman back Jordon Davison. The Trojans had led 7-0 for all of 2:49 of the first quarter. They would never lead again the rest of the way.

After a stop by the UO defense, Moore threw the first of two touchdown passes on the day to tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who has helped make up for a lack of depth in the receiving corps since returning from injury earlier this month. USC tied it on the opening play of the second quarter, 14-14, but after the two defenses each forced a punt, the Ducks returned USC's kick 85 yards for a touchdown, with Benson showing off his speed as a returner.

The Oregon Ducks take on the USC Trojans at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on November 23, 2025 (Eric Evans Photography)

"We haven't really had an explosive on punt return," Benson said. "So for us to show we have that is going to be another thing teams have to game plan against us. It's going to be harder for teams to beat us."

That made it 21-14, and the Ducks would tack on again before halftime. After driving to the 1-yard line, the UO offense fielded a personnel group that featured defensive tackles Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington, and linebacker Bryce Boettcher — the Eugene native who celebrated his Senior Day by taking a direct snap on the play and rushing for a touchdown.

"Short yardage, they called my number and the O line up front did a good job blocking," Boettcher said. "It was pretty cool."

The Oregon Ducks take on the USC Trojans at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on November 23, 2025 (Eric Evans Photography)

Twice in the second half, USC pulled back within a touchdown. Twice, the Ducks responded, first on Sadiq's second touchdown of the day, in the third quarter, then on a Noah Whittington rushing touchdown in the fourth. Whittington finished the day with 104 rushing yards, behind a line that included a new left tackle in Fox Crader, and Charlie Pickard at center following Laloulu's injury.

For seniors like Benson, Whittington, Pickard and Boettcher, there may be another game to play in Autzen this season, should the Ducks earn the right to host a Playoff matchup. But Saturday was officially their Senior Day, and they made it a day they'll never forget.

"I think all of us, as we play, we remember our last time getting to play and especially at the stadium," Lanning said. "And I told our guys, you probably just added another opportunity, if we continue to do our job, to get to play here again. For those guys to have that moment, to be able to enjoy that moment, we all wanted to put it on the line for the seniors today. And the guys did that."