11-9-23 Emerald Media Group - Gameday

GAMEDAY

11.9.23

Emerald Media

DETHRONING THE

HEISMAN

O R E G O N VS. U S C P R E V I E W P G . 6 • O P I N I O N : U S C I S CO L L E G E F O O T B A L L’ S V I L L A I N P G . 1 2 • A R O U N D T H E PAC P G . 1 4

Home Flight The Home Flight wool blankets are a collaboration between the UO Alumni Association, the Many Nations Longhouse, and The Duck Store. They were designed by Kale’a Calica-Younker (Coquille/Coos/Warm Springs/Yakama) who is an art student at the University of Oregon, and her father Shirod Younker (Coquille/Miluk Coos/Umpqua).

featuring: Keyen Singer (She/Her) Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Environmental Studies Major & NAIS Minor, Sophomore Native American Student Union (NASU) Co-Director 2023-2024 Miss Indigenous UO

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Read more about this project, and see photos & video here:

GAMEDAY

GAMEDAY

GAMEDAY, the Emerald’s football edition, is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon founded in 1900.

EMERALD MEDIA GROUP 1395 University St., rm.302, Eugene, OR 97403 541.346.5511 | dailyemerald.com

NEWSROOM

BUSINESS

Editor in Chief Evan Reynolds

President & Publisher Eric Henry x317

Print Managing Editor Emma J Nelson

Vice President, Operations Kathy Carbone x302

Sports Editors Nina-Grace Montes Brady Ruth Copy Chief Olivia Ellerbruch Reporters Joe Krasnowski Joe Moore Jack Lazarus Owen Murray Photo Editors Molly McPherson Jonathan Suni

Creative Director Anna Smith x327

ADVERTISING

Director of Sales and Digital Marketing Shelly Rondestvedt x303 Account Executives Lola Tagwerker Cori Caplinger Cooper Gast Taylor Baumgardner

Design Editor Liz Blodgett Associate Design Editor Ryan Ehrhart

ON THE COVER

Bo Nix takes in the infamous Rice-Eccles Stadium as the smoke clears from the Utes entrance. The Oregon Ducks defeated the Utah Utes 35-6 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Oct. 28, 2023. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)

The Oregon Ducks mascot dances during the third quarter. (Ali Watson/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, N O VE M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 3

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OREGON OFFENSE PLAYER TROY FRANKLIN TRAESHON HOLDEN TEZ JOHNSON JOSH CONERLY JR. JUNIOR ANGILAU JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON STEVEN JONES AJANI CORNELIUS TERRANCE FERGUSON BO NIX BUCKY IRVING KYLER KASPER KRIS HUTSON GARY BRYANT JR. GAAOPE LALOULU MARCUS HARPER II NISHAD STROTHER GEORGE SILVA PATRICK HERBERT TY THOMPSON NOAH WHITTINGTON

USC OFFENSE

#

POS

YEAR

PLAYER

#

POS

YEAR

No. 11 No. 5 No. 15 No. 76 No. 54 No. 58 No. 74 No. 65 No. 3 No. 10 No. 00 No. 17 No. 1 No. 2 No. 75 No. 55 No. 50 No. 71 No. 88 No. 13 No. 6

WR-X WR-Z WR-F LT LG OC RG RT TE QB RB WR-X WR-Z WR-F LT LG/OC RG RT TE QB RB

JR SR/TR SR/TR SO RS SR/TR JR RS SR RS JR/TR JR SR/TR JR/TR RS FR JR RS JR/TR RS SO JR RS SR/TR JR/TR RS JR RS SO JR/TR

KYRON HUDSON DORIAN SINGER MARIO WILLIAMS JONAH MONHEIM EMMANUEL PREGNON JUSTIN DEDICH JARRETT KINGSTON MICHAEL TARQUIN LAKE MCREE CALEB WILLIAMS AUSTIN JONES BRENDEN RICE MICHAEL JACKSON III TAHJ WASHINGTON ELIJAH PAIGE ALANI NOA KILIAN O’CONNOR GINO QUINONES MASON MURPHY JUDE WOLFE MILLER MOSS

No. 10 No. 15 No. 4 No. 79 No. 70 No. 57 No. 52 No. 71 No. 87 No. 13 No. 6 No. 2 No. 9 No. 16 No. 72 No. 77 No. 67 No. 66 No. 76 No. 18 No. 7

WR-X WR-Z WR-SL LT LG OC RG RT TE QB RB WR-X WR-Z WR-SL LT LG OC RG RT TE QB

RS SO JR/TR JR/TR RS JR RS SO/TR RS SR RS SR/TR RS SR/TR RS SO JR/TR RS SR/TR SR/TR JR RS SR/TR FR FR RS FR RS SR RS SO RS SR RS SO

#

POS

YEAR

No. 51 No. 90 No. 99 No. 10 No. 13 No. 25 No. 17 No. 7 No. 4 No. 1 No. 19 No. 2 No. 92 No. 47 No. 6 No. 53 No. 18 No. 22 No. 15 No. 27 No. 14 No. 23

DE NT DT RUSH MLB WLB LCB SS FS RCB NB DE NT DT RUSH MLB WLB LCB SS FS RCB NB

RS SR/TR SO/TR RS SR/TR RS SR/TR SR/TR FR RS SR/TR JR RS SR SO JR RS JR/TR RS SR/TR RS SR SO/TR RS SR/TR JR/TR RS SO RS SO RS SR/TR RS JR/TR RS FR/TR

USC DEFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE PLAYER BRANDON DORLUS POPO AUMAVAE CASEY ROGERS JORDAN BURCH JEFFREY BASSA JESTIN JACOBS MASE FUNA KHYREE JACKSON TYSHEEM JOHNSON EVAN WILLIAMS NIKKO REED COLE MARTIN JOHNNY BOWENS III TAKI TAIMANI KEYON WARE-HUDSON MATAYO UIAGALELEI JAMAL HILL CONNOR SOELLE JAKE SHIPLEY TRIKWEZE BRIDGES BRYAN ADDISON STEVE STEPHENS IV

#

POS

No. 3 No. 50 No. 98 No. 1 No. 2 No. 4 No. 18 No. 5 No. 00 No. 33 No. 25 No. 21 No. 91 No. 55 No. 95 No. 10 No. 9

DE NT DT JACK WLB MLB SLB FCB FS BS BCB NB DE NT DT JACK WLB MLB SLB FCB FS BS

No. 22 No. 90 No. 11 No. 13 No. 7

YEAR

SR RS SR RS SR/TR SR/TR JR RS SR/TR SR SR/TR JR/TR RS SR/TR JR/TR FR FR RS SR/TR RS JR FR SR RS SR/TR JR RS JR RS SR RS SR

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS

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USC SPECIAL TEAMS

PLAYER

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POS

YEAR

PLAYER

LUKE DUNNE CAMDEN LEWIS ANDREW BOYLE LUKE BASSO ROSS JAMES TEZ JOHNSON BUCKY IRVING

No. 45 No. 49 No. 98 No. 43 No. 92 No. 15 No. 00 No. 84

PT PK/KO KO/PK LS H/PT PR KR

FR SR RS SR/TR RS SO RS SO/TR SR/TR JR/TR

PT

GR/TR

EDDIE CZAPLICKI DENIS LYNCH JAC CASASANTE WILL ROSE ZACHARIAH BRANCH AADYN SLEEP-DALTON TYLER ROBLES NATHAN WENETA MICHAEL JACKSON III

MATTHEW RIGNEY

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PLAYER SOLOMON BYRD BEAR ALEXANDER JACK SULLIVAN JAMIL MUHAMMAD MASON COBB TACKETT CURTIS CHRISTIAN ROLAND-WALLACE CALEN BULLOCK MAX WILLIAMS DOMANI JACKSON JAYLIN SMITH ROMELLO HEIGHT KYON BARRS STANLEY TA’UFO’OU ANTHONY LUCAS SHANE LEE ERIC GENTRY CEYAIR WRIGHT ANTHONY BEAVERS JR. BRYSON SHAW JACOBE COVINGTON TRE’QUON FEGANS

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No. 37 No. 46 No. 39 No. 36 No. 1 No. 42 No. 95 No. 53 No. 9

POS

PT/KO PK/KO LS H PR/KR PT PK LS PR

YEAR

JR/TR RS SO RS SR RS SR FR SR FR RS JR/TR JR

For a more in-depth chart on both teams, visit ESPN.com

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GAMEDAY

BATTLE OF PERCEPTION With two superpowers going in opposite directions ahead of the Pac-12’s breakup, Saturday’s final battle means that much more

BY OWEN MURRAY • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

Oregon Ducks football took on the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2019. (DL Young/Emerald)

This Saturday, the USC Trojans (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) travel to Autzen Stadium for the final time as a member of the Pac-12 in a battle that leans on the No. 6 Oregon Ducks’ (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) playoff hopes. In the midst of a colossal collapse, the Trojans remain in contention for a spot in the final Pac-12 Championship, while the Ducks have their eyes on a rematch with Washington and the College Football Playoff.

Last Saturday, the Ducks overcame early turnover issues and penalty trouble to batter the California Golden Bears 63-19, while USC came out short at home against Pac-12 leader Washington in a 52-42 loss that left the Trojans scrambling ahead of their visit to Autzen Stadium.

College football is fickle. Despite just two conference losses, preseason Heisman favorite Caleb Williams and the Trojans are painted as a team in crisis. Oregon, with a similar Pac-12 record, is surging in its quest for a bowl game.

Two high-powered offenses are the engines of championship-caliber teams, but it’s the defenses that separate them.

Despite putting up 45.5 points per game on average, USC struggles to keep teams off the scoreboard. It allows an average of 34.5 points, including back-to-back games featuring 41-point efforts by Colorado and Arizona. The Trojans surge ahead, only to allow teams back into games — they led 34-14 against the Buffs at halftime only to win by a single touchdown after being shut out in the fourth quarter. They struggle to put teams away — allowing a touchdown in the final minute against Cal, only to be saved by a failed twopoint attempt. Four times this season, they’ve allowed north of 40 points. This is a team that lacks mentality.

And yet, the team cannot be ignored. Great PA G E 6

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players cannot carry a season but they can produce moments of magic that defy reality, and it’s impossible to deny that Williams is one of those players. In a game that may threaten to turn into a shootout, Oregon’s greatest strength will be its ability to keep Williams and USC without the ball. It’s a combination of offensive decision making that doomed the Ducks in their loss against Washington and stout defensive moments.

The difference between the two teams is stark.

Oregon held the Golden Bears, who dropped from 49 points on USC on Oct. 28 to just 19 points last Saturday.

Oregon defensive linemen Brandon Dorlus, Evan Williams and Jordan Burch total 10.5 sacks between them: a nightmare for

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opposing quarterbacks. Hurried quarterbacks make rash decisions, and the Oregon secondary has nine interceptions this season. Williams’ strength comes from his ability to pick defenses apart with passes, and if the Ducks can hurry the D.C. native, they’ll roll the Trojans off the field and out of Pac-12 contention.

In his final year as a Duck, Bo Nix remains in the race for the Heisman. After a standout sixtouchdown performance against Cal where he totaled 386 yards passing, he’ll look to prove his point as Oregon rushes into the stretch where his case can be cemented. Much of his time, however, is provided by what Oregon shows on the ground.

Despite losing Noah Whittington to injury just four games into the season, the Ducks’ run game has been elite. Bucky Irving has emerged as one of the nation’s best backs, averaging 7.2 yards per carry and powering his way to nine touchdowns, matched

by Jordan James (8.0 yards per game/nine TD). The double punch that Oregon’s run game packs leaves teams scrambling to match the versatility that the Ducks’ offense offers. When Nix drops back, teams have to commit, leaving checkdowns free or an electric receiver wide open. To make matters worse for the Trojans, USC allows 172.1 rushing yards per game against FBS schools, ranking No. 92 amongst those teams. Watch for Irving and James to blow the game open with their work on the ground.

This game is riddled with implication — the winner jumps ahead in the Pac-12 rankings and makes a statement to the rankings committees.

The loser will find itself scrambling ahead of two difficult final weeks. This game defines who is resigned to the role of spoiler, and who will book a ticket to Las Vegas. It’s all on the line, two weeks before the final game. Both teams will put all the cards on the table — but only one will survive to gamble in Sin City.

Oregon Ducks football took on the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2019. (DL Young/ Emerald)

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PA G E 7

GAMEDAY

TEZ JOHNSON AND THE DUCKS DEMOLISH CALIFORNIA Johnson’s breakout day should change the narrative of his season

Inspired by a slew of penalties and one of the sloppiest quarters in recent Oregon football memory, head coach Dan Lanning was adamant that his team didn’t play its best brand of play despite its 63-19 win over California on Nov. 4.

“I think we put ourselves in some tough positions at times,” Lanning said. “We didn’t play to our standard of play, certainly in the first half.”

He went on to say that his Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) showed “flashes of what we can really be” in the second half. If a team is scoring 63 points on a day where it’s not at its best, it’s scary to think what the No. 6 Oregon Ducks’ top form would look like.

Undoubtedly, it would involve wide receiver Tez Johnson having a day like he did against Cal. Johnson reeled in 12 receptions for 180 yards and two scores as Oregon handed the Golden Bears their sixth loss of the season.

His dozen receptions, the most in a single game by an Oregon receiver since 2018, led to Johnson having more receiving yards than the entire Golden Bears offense had all game.

“He was part of our plan to be able to hit some three-level routes, [and] to be able to execute some stuff with him with his speed across the field,” Lanning said. “He’s a hard guy to cover. If you decide to go man, he creates matchup issues with the speed that he has. That’s something we want to continue to figure out how to use in the passing game to create a weapon for us.”

Johnson has been quite the weapon for the Oregon offense. On the season, he now has 46 receptions for 599 yards and six touchdowns. He’s recorded two multi-score games this season against Cal and Hawaii. He’s averaging 13 yards per reception and his blazing speed is showcased every week.

Despite his incredible performance, Johnson echoed the words of his coach

Ducks linebacker Jeffrey Bassa (2) tackles Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) in a loud and physical collision. The Oregon Ducks defeat the California Golden Bears 63-19 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 4, 2023. (Sebastian Flores/Emerald) PA G E 8

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BY BRADY RUTH • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

post-game. “We didn’t have our best day,” Johnson said. “[There are] 63 points on that board but we didn’t have our best day as an offense. What did we have? 90 some yards over nine penalties? That’s not us. That’s not who we are as a team.”

If there is a team that can overcome so many penalties, Oregon tallied 99 penalty yards in the win, it’s this Ducks team. The offensive firepower has been demonstrated time after time, and the defense has established that it can hang with any offense in the country.

The ability to overcome adversity isn’t a trait solely attributed to Oregon.

Even Johnson’s big day got off to a horrid start. A pass from Bo Nix on the first play from scrimmage tripped off Johnson’s hands and found its way into a Cal defender’s hands for an interception.

Only a few drives later, Johnson was involved in a fluke snap that ended up as a scoop-and-score for the Golden Bears. It would have been all too easy for Johnson to hang his head. Instead, he hung 180 and two scores on Cal. “We can’t let one play mess up the whole day,” Johnson said. “That’s basically what we just talked about and ran with throughout the whole game. There [were] multiple bad plays out there, but it’s the way we respond to each play.”

Johnson responded in a big way. Not only on offense, but on special teams, too. He had 75 punt-return yards to put his all-purpose yards total to 255.

Highlighted by a 47-yard punt return late in the first half that led to an Oregon touchdown in the closing seconds, Johnson more than made up for any previous blunders.

Still, it seems as though every time Johnson touches the football, audiences are reminded that he’s Nix’s adoptive brother.

It might be time for that narrative to end. Johnson is having an incredible season, is putting up insane numbers and is contributing to his team more than many thought he might when he transferred from Troy at the end of last season.

Johnson has nothing left to prove. He’s no longer just Nix’s adoptive brother.

He’s one of his best weapons.

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PA G E 9

GAMEDAY

A BATTLE OF TOP HEISMAN CANDIDATES THE NIX AND WILLIAMS MATCHUP COULD DEFINE OREGON VS. USC

BY JOE MOORE • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART The No. 6 Oregon Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) are about to take on the USC Trojans (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) and the reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams. The Trojans, who opened the season ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll, have fallen out of the latest rankings. For the Ducks, this matchup marks the perfect time for a symbolic passing of the Heisman torch to Oregon’s own Bo Nix. Nix has been enjoying an incredible season that has seen him total 2,723 passing yards and 25 touchdown passes with just two interceptions.

He has also added five rushing touchdowns to bring him up to 30 total scores on the season.

Nix is also leading the FBS in completion percentage, converting on 78.1% of his passes this season.

The incredible play of Nix was on full display in Oregon’s win over the Cal Golden Bears this past weekend. Nix threw for 386 yards and four touchdowns while adding two rushing touchdowns in the game. That performance saw a massive shakeup in the Heisman odds, as Nix now ranks second behind Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. PA G E 1 0

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Williams, on the other hand, has fallen down rankings after opening the season as the favorite for the award, which would have made him just the second player ever to win two Heisman trophies.

However, USC has struggled this season, picking up its third loss of the season in its most recent game against Washington. The losses may have knocked USC out of the running for the Pac-12 Championship game, barring losses from any of the current top teams.

Oregon comes into its game against USC as a favorite, especially after the Trojans have fallen out of the top-25. USC’s defense has been its weak spot this season, allowing 34.5 points per game, which is the second-worst mark in the Pac-12.

This game, with the bright lights focused on the matchup between two incredible quarterbacks, could serve as Nix’s Heisman moment. Putting up gaudy offensive numbers against a Williams-led team could vault Nix even higher in the rankings heading into the final weeks of the regular season.

Conversely, a poor effort from Nix, especially to a defense that has proven to be as bad as USC’s, could take him out of the conversation entirely. Williams showed a lot of emotion in the Trojans’ recent loss at home against the Huskies. He could be playing like a man on a mission, desperate to turn around the season for his squad and get USC back in the running for a high placing in the Pac12 as the season winds to a close.

It is tough to dethrone the reigning Heisman.

It is even tougher to do so when that former Heisman is playing with nothing to lose. If it were just Nix against Williams, the advantage may go to Nix due to his play this season. However, football is a team game.

Williams has fallen victim to poor defensive play in his losses. USC has allowed 134 points in its three losses, something that Williams can not be faulted for. Similarly, the USC offense has been elite and could prove a problem for Oregon’s defense, something that

“THE GAME IS BEING CALLED A MATCHUP BETWEEN NIX AND WILLIAMS FIRST, AND OREGON AND USC SECOND. REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME, THE STORY WILL BE ONE STAR QUARTERBACK OUTPLAYING THE OTHER.”

Quarterback Bo Nix (10) looks to throw the ball down the field. The Oregon Ducks football team took on the Washington State Cougars on Oct. 21, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/ Emerald) |

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GAMEDAY would not be Nix’s fault.

There are elements outside of the control of both Nix and Williams in this contest. However, that is not how the game is being viewed, and that will not be how it is viewed after the game ends. The game is being called a matchup between Nix and Williams first, and Oregon and USC second. Regardless of the outcome of the game, the story will be of one star quarterback outplaying the other.

At the end of the day, one team, and one quarterback, will be left standing. However, for Nix this game is about more than just showing that he deserves to be in the Heisman conversation. He will be looking ahead, trying to get Oregon into the College Football Playoff, a goal that is out of reach for USC

top-10 teams in last year’s loss to the Georgia Bulldogs and this year’s loss to the Huskies.

USC is not ranked and has not proven that it deserves to be in consideration for a top-10 place in polls this season. That bodes well for the Ducks, who have dispatched two ranked opponents already this year and enter this week as heavy favorites.

There is no stopping Williams despite the quiet season USC is having. Williams has 2,958 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in the air this season. He also has 10 rushing touchdowns. His stats show he is worthy of Heisman consideration. He will be desperate to prove that USC is still worthy of hanging with the top teams as the Trojans travel to Autzen Stadium. The pressure will be on the

“NIX HAS PROVEN THAT HE BELONGS SQUARELY IN THE HEAT OF THE HEISMAN RACE. SINCE STARTING AT OREGON AT THE SAME TIME AS HEAD COACH DAN LANNING, NIX HAS LED THE DUCKS TO AN 18-4 RECORD OVER HIS TWO SEASONS.”

Ducks defense to slow down Williams as much as possible in the marquee matchup.

The Oregon offense will look to give the shoddy USC defense fits, especially with Nix at the helm. However, the Ducks’ offense has proven that the team is more than just Bo Nix. Bucky Irving’s elite play in the run game has given another dimension to the Oregon offense. By giving an already questionable USC defense two aspects of the game to contend with, the Ducks could see openings for massive plays throughout the game. The run game could open up opportunities for deep passes from Nix, and in a similar way, an elite passing game could open up massive holes for Irving to rush through.

In a game that Oregon should win, the pressure is on Nix to show that he truly deserves to be near the top of the Heisman race. Luckily for Nix, this key game comes against Williams, last year’s Heisman winner.

For Nix and the Ducks, dethroning the reigning Heisman champion could be another notch in the belt of a team with much higher aspirations.

after suffering too many losses this year. The Ducks suffered a loss to the Washington Huskies earlier this year, a loss that removes all margin for error for Oregon. The Ducks do not have the ability to play with the assumption that they will win, because that could lead to too many costly errors, errors that a former-Heisman can easily exploit.

Luckily for Oregon, it boasts one of the best game managers in college football. Nix has proven that he belongs squarely in the heat of the Heisman race. Since starting at Oregon at the same time as head coach Dan Lanning, Nix has led the Ducks to an 18-4 record over his two seasons. The Ducks’ only losses during that time period have come against ranked opponents.

Time and time again, Nix has shown that he can be counted on to win games that he is supposed to win, and stay close in games against high-level opponents.

Barring two losses late last season that came partially due to Nix not playing at full health, the Ducks have only lost to

Bo Nix (10) throws on the run. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the University of Washington Huskies in an away match at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 14, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, N O VE M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 3

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GAMEDAY

KRASNOWSKI:

USC IS COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S VILLAIN Opinion: Southern Californian stardom fuels the nation’s hate of the Trojans

BY: JOE KRASNOWSKI • DESIGNED BY: GABRIELA MARTINEZ The words “USC” and “villain” have always been synonymous. From the Pete Carroll era to celebrities on the sideline, USC and its Hollywood atmosphere has always been easy to hate. Even in the hapless years before Lincoln Riley was hired as head coach, USC felt like a sleeping giant stirring in its rest.

When Riley’s move to Southern California was announced, Oklahoma Sooner fans were incensed. Think Mario Cristobal to Miami times a hundred.

At the time of his departure, Riley was — and probably still is now — public enemy No. 1 in Norman. Sooner fans hate him.

USC fans love him.

Riley is the man behind the rebuild of the once listless Trojans. More than anything, USC is relevant once again and the Trojans have certainly done that in a unique fashion.

At the forefront of the sports revolution, USC has made the most of its national brand and boosters by building its roster through the transfer portal and athletes Name Image Likeness. That certainly makes them hateable.

And now that villain is going to the Big Ten. From “the Conference of Champions” to the conference of powerhouses, the Trojans will join the likes of Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon, too. Long seen as the Ducks’ biggest rival in terms of West Coast recruiting, USC will be taking its national brand across the country as well.

Recently, Oregon has been the victor of these recruiting battles, namely beating out the Trojans for 2023 commits Matayo Uiagalelei and Rodrick Pleasant. The Ducks and Trojans have gone head-to-head on the field and in recruiting for numerous years, that much won’t change going forward.

It’s no secret that the Trojans — the team of Hollywood — can recruit. When Riley was announced as the Trojans head coach, players flocked to join him in Southern California.

Villains are never perfect though. USC has its flaws, and the rebuild is far from over. For all of his offensive greatness, Riley’s biggest weakness may be his loyalty.

Former Trojan defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, who had been with Riley since the 2019 season, had been the main culprit before his recent firing.

Riley’s Oklahoma teams were consistently known for a star-studded offense

and a lackluster defense. That much hasn’t changed with his move to Southern California. The Trojans — who were a win away from a College Football Playoff berth in Riley’s first season at the helm — lost their last two games largely due to their defensive incompetence.

Despite calls for Riley to fire Alex Grinch after the Trojans’ collapse late last year, Riley stood his ground. And, well, it didn’t work.

At all.

In Week 9, USC’s defense allowed 49 points to Cal. The following week, Oregon’s defense allowed 12.

“I believe this team can win the league,” Riley said after the Cal game to The Athletic’s Antonio Morales. “Hell yeah I do. Hell yeah I do. I know we can.”

Riley might have been saying that to convince himself. The following week, the Trojans allowed 572 total yards in their loss against Washington. The loss resulted in Grinch’s firing and dropped USC’s chances of winning the Pac-12 to about as low as the Trojans defense.

The offense is a different story. The Trojans are electric and hateable in their own right. 2022 Heisman trophy winner Caleb Williams makes USC tick. Williams, who came to USC along with Riley, is a superstar totaling 38 total touchdowns to just four interceptions.

Williams is great and that makes him hateable — his actions do, too.

During USC’s victory over rival Notre Dame last year, fans spotted a message on Williams’ nails for the Fighting Irish faithful.

“F**K ND”.

Amid his antics, it’s beyond easy to hate Williams, and he embraces it.

“I think it’s just another way of expression,” Williams told People Magazine.

It’s also a way to send a message.

That message has fallen flat thus far in 2023, and the rebuild in Southern California is far from over. But with talented incoming recruiting classes, the transfer portal and all of the NIL money in the world at their disposal, Riley’s Trojans will soon return to the top of college football.

Team Showtime has been a team matinee thus far in 2023. However, the Trojans always have been Hollywood. A chapter of that will take place Saturday night in Eugene.

Trojans safety Isaiah Pola-Mao (21) runs back an interception. Oregon Ducks football took on the Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2019. (DL Young/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY The Oregon student section erupts after a touchdown.

The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the University of Colorado Buffaloes 42-6 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, on September 23, 2023. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

LOOKING AROUND THE PAC-12 AFTER WEEK 10

MULTIPLE RANKED TEAMS FELL DURING ANOTHER WILD WEEK OF PAC-12 FOOTBALL

Dante Moore left Saturday’s game with an injury. But UCLA (6-3, 3-3 Pac-12) was already facing a significant deficit to the Wildcats when the injuries occurred. The Bruins’ offense just isn’t up to par with a conference that boasts so many high-powered offenses. UCLA will host Arizona State (2-7, 1-5 Pac12) in Week 11.

BY BRADY RUTH DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

NO. 16 OREGON STATE EARNS 26-19 ROAD WIN OVER COLORADO

With each passing week, the Pac12 Championship Game picture, as well as the College Football Playoff picture, becomes more clear and defined. Week 10 of the college football season was no different, as it had major implications for the Pac-12 title game that’s rapidly approaching.

NO. 5 WASHINGTON OUTLASTS NO. 20 USC IN 52-42 SHOOTOUT

ARIZONA DOMINATES NO. 19 UCLA WITH 27-10 WIN

People were excited to see the Michael Penix Jr. vs. Caleb Williams Heisman-hopeful matchup in the Coliseum on Saturday. However, it was Washington (9-0, 6-0 Pac-12) running back Dillon Johnson that stole the show with 26 carries for a whopping 256 rushing yards and four scores. For a Huskies offense that relies so heavily on the passing game, Washington demonstrating its running strength could be even more concerning for future PA G E 1 4

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opponents. The Huskies host the Utes (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12) next Saturday.

Are the Trojans spiraling?

They’ve now lost three of their last four games to fall to 7-3 and 5-2 in the conference.

USC was beaten in the time-of-possession battle and didn’t have a response for each of Washington’s many scores. Although all three of the Trojans’ losses have come to ranked opponents, USC’s schedule gets no easier with a night game against Oregon (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) looming next week.

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The Wildcats now have three straight wins against ranked opponents. Arizona (6-3, 4-2 Pac-12) was all over UCLA in Tucson and clinched bowl eligibility for the first time since 2017. The Wildcats may be playing some of the best football in the country right now and should have no problem dismantling the struggling Buffaloes (4-5, 1-5 Pac12) next week.

It didn’t help the Bruins when both starting quarterback Ethan Garbers and backup quarterback

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Oregon State’s (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12) offense didn’t look great in its seventh win of the season, but it was good enough. The Beavers were able to overcome two turnovers and relied on their defense to pick up another crucial conference victory.

The Beavers have a favorable matchup with Stanford (3-6, 2-5 Pac-12) on the docket next Saturday.

The magic of Colorado’s hot start has completely worn off. Its offense is one of the worst in the conference. The Buffaloes had just 238 total yards of offense and allowed four sacks in Saturday’s loss. For a team that started 3-0, the Buffs’ unlikelihood to make a bowl game could dampen what was once a very promising season. Colorado plays red-hot Arizona in Week 11.

NO. 18 UTAH DISMANTLES ARIZONA STATE 55-3 The Utes bounced back from getting blown out by Oregon by

dealing a smackdown of their own.

Led by a collective ground attack that combined for 352 rushing yards, Utah scored twice in each quarter to earn an impressive 55-3 win over the struggling Sun Devils. The Utes will face a big road test next week at Washington, the current Pac-12 standings leader.

Arizona State was never expected to compete with the better teams in the conference this year, and that includes Utah. The Sun Devils were outmatched in every aspect of Saturday’s game and limited to 83 total yards of offense. ASU travels for a game against UCLA in Week 11.

STANFORD EARNS SECOND CONFERENCE WIN 10-7 OVER WASHINGTON STATE Stanford didn’t play well, but was good enough to find victory in Pullman. In a game that combined for 462 total yards (and only 79 of them rushing) the Cardinal were the better of two bad teams and found a way to win. They play Oregon State in Week 11.

Washington State started 4-0 this season and was once a ranked team.

Since then, the Cougars have lost five straight games and are tied for last in the Pac-12. Washington State accumulated just four rushing yards against Stanford, and it’s nearly impossible to win putting up stats like that. The Cougars play Cal (3-6, 1-5 Pac-12) next week.

CROSSWORD

WORD JUMBLE

Across

1 Less occupied 6 Taj Mahal builder __ Jahan 10 Balkan native 14 Gave one’s word 15 “Citizen __” 16 Urgent request 17 “Almost done!”

20 Homer’s neighbor 21 Good place to keep things on ice?

22 Fetch player 23 Command attributed to Captain Kirk 29 3-Down, for one 30 Image on the Connecticut state quarter 31 Goes over one’s head?

34 New Haven collegian 35 Enjoys hot tea, say 36 Bit of static buildup 37 Capital of Libya, and a phonetic hint to a feature of this puzzle’s four longest answers 41 Rare game show outcome 42 In __ parentis 44 Megan Rapinoe’s team: Abbr.

45 Doesn’t just want 47 Destructive wave 49 “Ideas worth spreading” offshoot 51 Cat call?

55 Bronze element 56 Mimic 57 Narrow inlet 59 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so on 64 Speak for oneself?

65 Art hub in New Mexico 66 Larger relatives of violas 67 “Othello” plotter 68 “While” prefix 69 Swinton in many Wes Anderson films

SIPEO LBLIE GROJEG SOMTTU Now arrange the circled letters to form the answer as suggested by the cartoon.

Down

10 Taps 11 Mischief-maker 12 Soccer official 13 Receiving area 18 Coin with a torch 19 Athletic type 24 Program opened with a tap 25 Sport played on horseback 26 Overused 27 Lukewarm 28 Positive responses 31 Grime 32 Rough, as a translation

33 Bring on 34 Org. concerned with climate change 38 Dwell (on) 39 “That so?”

40 Roundabout 43 “Almost done!”

46 Office contact no.

48 Comparable (to) 49 Keyboard pro 50 __ out a living 52 Food truck fare 53 Sing like a bird

54 Give 58 Home to more than half of the world’s population 59 “Criminal Minds” org.

60 Nest egg letters 61 Purse 62 Train unit 63 Camping apparel retailer

ANSWERS

SUDOKU

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME By David L. Hoyt & Jeff Knurek

1 Copyright page ID 2 Nerdy type 3 “Sister Outsider” writer Audre 4 Before, once 5 Farthest back 6 Rogue artificial intelligence system in “The Terminator” 7 17-syllable work 8 __ Arbor, Michigan 9 Attachment at the front of a sloop, e.g.

Jumbles - POISE, LIBEL, JOGGER, UTMOST CARTOON CAPTION - SUPREME JOB

Unscramble these Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

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GAMEDAY

RICE VS. FRANKLIN: SATURDAY’S LEAST TALKED ABOUT MATCHUP With Caleb Williams and Bo Nix taking most of the spotlight heading into Saturday’s contest, it is important to recognize the teammates who helped them get there

BY JACK LAZARUS • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ Coming into Oregon’s matchup against preseason Pac-12 favorites USC, there are a lot of storylines to look out for. One of the most compelling being each Heisman-contending quarterback has a go-to receiver that is among the nation’s best. USC and Caleb Williams have Brenden Rice, son of hall-of-famer Jerry Rice, while Bo Nix and Oregon have Troy Franklin.

The two currently share the lead for receiving touchdowns in the Pac12 with 10.

Rice has caught 32 passes for 563 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, seeing most of his production out of the slot. Where he really finds success are short routes over the middle, where he has the ability to use his athleticism to get yards-after-catch (YAC).

The senior receiver is averaging 17.6 yards per reception, and given many of his receptions are within 10 yards he displays elite YAC ability.

One of the reasons Rice has so many touchdowns is that he has an incredible ability to jump up and high-point balls before the defender even has a chance.

He has great timing and concentration that allows him to bring in tough catches and create a lot more.

His best performances came against Arizona State where he posted seven receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns, and against Colorado, his former team, where he tallied five receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns.

The key to Rice is quality over quantity. He shares the receiver room with another elite receiver in Tahj Washington, so he doesn’t get the amount of touches as a clear number one receiver like Franklin. How Rice gets that quality is his athleticism and his route running.

Rice is able to angle his body so that he is an open target to Williams, but also positioned to break away and get upfield as soon as he has the ball. He is also able to position his body in the same way coming down with a ball he high-pointed.

Wherever Rice gets the ball, he is often in position to get at least 10 YAC. While Rice lines up in the slot a lot of the time, Franklin is typically an outside receiver, drawing the coverage of the opposing team’s best cornerback.

Franklin has had an outstanding junior season for the Ducks with 58 receptions for 946 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has scored in all but two games this season and he has had a 30+ yard reception in every game this season.

Part of the reason he gets so many deep targets is because of his incredible speed off the line of scrimmage. Franklin is able to get behind corners within the first five yards of his route, especially when running a go, one of his most successful routes.

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of his ability to accelerate and decelerate so effectively.

Many receivers with his speed often get held up at the line by corners, but that rarely seems to happen to Franklin because he has long arms which help him to fight off any contact. His release is also super quick, which doesn’t allow defenders to grab hold of him. After they try, Franklin’s already far past them.

Those long arms also help him leap and high-point balls if he needs to.

Franklin’s elite hands make him a valuable target even when in just a little piece of space downfield. He also runs many 10- to 15-yard comeback routes because his ability to decelerate is often downplayed by defenders and Nix will always find him in that little window of space.

His best weeks have been against ranked opponents Colorado and Washington. Against Colorado, Franklin had eight catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and in Seattle, he put up eight catches for 154 yards and a touchdown.

All season, Franklin has been a safety blanket for Nix and has often been there when the Ducks need a big play. He has stepped up tremendously in his junior season and looks to continue to challenge for the Biletnikoff Award this season.

Both Rice and Franklin have been outstanding this season and have been of great service to their quarterbacks who often take most of the spotlight. While Williams and Nix are in talks about the Heisman, many fail to give credit to those who helped them get there. The two receivers look to build on their great seasons under the lights in Autzen Stadium on Saturday.

Troy Franklin is lifted up by Marcus Harper II after scoring. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Portland State University Vikings in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, on Sept.

2, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

COACH-TO-PLAYER COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY WILL PREMIERE THIS BOWL SEASON

IN THE WAKE OF A SIGN-STEALING INVESTIGATION IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE, COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

The NCAA announced that college football teams will be allowed to use coach-to-player communication technology in non-College Football Playoff bowl games this year. This experiment is in response to the Big Ten rules committee’s proposal to start using the technology during conference games.

This is the same conference that Oregon will be joining in 2024 and the conference that currently has a sign stealing and advance scouting investigation with the University of Michigan.

After being accused of physically sending people to its opponents’ games to collect strategic information that one couldn’t get off of a TV broadcast or game film, such as signals and play calls, Michigan is under its second NCAA investigation.

The NCAA football rulebook prohibits “any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel.” Using electronic devices to record signals is prohibited.

The Big Ten rules committee ultimately decided that it would have too much of an impact during games compared to other conferences that couldn’t use it and that could create issues for College Football Playoff rankings.

While the news of the scandal broke at the same time that this was announced, the NCAA rules committee approved it over the summer.

However, the process of getting the technology on the field is still in the beginning stages.

“The rules of the road, we’re still setting up,” Steve Shaw, the NCAA national coordinator of officials, told The Athletic. “Do both teams have to do it? Can they use different technologies? What if one team doesn’t want to use it?

Dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s is still yet to be done.”

The Big Ten is a pioneer in college football. In 2004, the conference adopted instant replay technology, which is something that all teams across the country now use. It also proposed the use of tablets on the sideline this summer, but was also not approved by the committee. However, multiple Big Ten sources told The Athletic that the Michigan allegations have fueled another push within the conference to have these changes start next season.

Michigan has a reputation of cracking codes throughout the conference.

Under head coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has been investigated for illegal

BY NINA-GRACE MONTES • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

recruiting during the COVID-19 pandemic and his offensive coordinator hacking into computers and accessing university email accounts without authorization on top of this current scandal.

Connor Stalions, a recruiting staffer that specializes in analytics, is the center of the sign-stealing allegations after being caught purchasing tickets to at least seven Big Ten conference games prior to their games against Michigan over the last three seasons, including 2023. He allegedly would later send people to the games to get cellphone videos of signals that were being used to call offensive and defensive plays from the sidelines.

Pictures have surfaced online of Stalions potentially being disguised on Central Michigan’s sideline during its game against Michigan State on Sept.

1. Michigan andMichigan State played against each other on Oct. 21 and the Wolverines won by 49. Before the rival game, the Big Ten alerted the Spartans about the investigation.

“We already knew about it, but it’s just crazy to actually see it because in the game, they knew what was going on before the play, so it’s a little demoralizing,” Dawand Jones, a Cleveland Browns rookie offensive lineman who played at Ohio State, told the Associated Press. Michigan vs. Ohio State is a historic rivalry in college football and Michigan has beaten them the past two years, breaking an eight-game losing streak for Ohio State.

College football hasn’t used helmet communication technology because of cost, despite the NFL using it since 1994. Also, the NFL has its own helmet contracts and agreements with the players’ union, which is also something that college football doesn’t have.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, who spent most of his career in the NFL, told the Associated Press, “We could get rid of all of the stupid signs on the sidelines and we could get rid of pictures of rock stars and we could just play football the way it was meant to be. You go to a high school game, there’s technology on the sideline. You go to an NFL game, there’s technology on the sideline. You go to a college game, there’s nothing.”

Besides Michigan, schools like Clemson, Arizona State, Auburn and Florida State amongst others have been accused of sign stealing in recent years. While the value of sign stealing is hard to quantify, it’s still a big factor in the result of games.

With communication technology in helmets, signs wouldn’t be necessary.

Dan Lanning stands on the sidelines with his staff. The Oregon Ducks football team took on the Washington State Cougars on Oct. 21, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/ Emerald)

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A debit card for Duck fans

Or visit MyOCCU.org/GameDayDuck

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