Bo Nix passed for a season-high 412 yards and threw four touchdowns, and No. 6 Oregon held off Southern California’s late rally for a 36-27 win on Saturday in Eugene, Ore.
The Ducks (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) built a 22-point lead early in the fourth quarter when Bucky Irving ran for 19 of his game-high 118 rushing yards on a touchdown carry.
USC (7-4, 5-3) battled back when Caleb Williams found Brenden Rice for a 9-yard touchdown to cap a 75-yard drive. A missed field-goal attempt by Oregon’s Camden Lewis gave the Trojans possession, and Austin Jones capped a 77-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run.
Williams’ cross-field throw on USC’s two-point conversion attempt following Jones’ touchdown was completed, but short of the goal line, and Oregon successfully ran out the clock thanks to a pair of Irving first-down conversions.
The Ducks jumped ahead early with first-half touchdowns on Nix passes of 77 yards to Tez Johnson, 84 yards to Troy Franklin and 15 yards to Terrance Ferguson.
Johnson caught a game-high seven passes for 126 yards. Franklin recorded a game-high 147 yards on just two catches, hauling in a 63-yard reception in the second quarter that helped set up a 33-yard Lewis field goal.
Evan Williams paced the Ducks defense with nine tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
Oregon remains in control of its destiny for a Pac-12 championship game berth and consideration for the College Football Playoff. The Ducks were the highest-ranked one-loss team in Tuesday’s poll reveal.
USC, meanwhile, was effectively eliminated from conference-title contention with its third Pac-12 loss.
Williams, the Trojans’ reigning Heisman Trophy winner, went 19-for-34 passing for 291 yards, throwing the touchdown pass to Rice and running for another score. USC finished with just 73 total rushing yards, despite getting touchdowns on the ground from Jones, Williams and MarShawn Lloyd.
–Field Level Media
