What happened: The No. 20 Oregon Ducks travel to the Coliseum on Saturday to face the No. 12 USC Trojans. Oregon looks to bounce back from an early loss to Oklahoma State, while undefeated USC aims to secure a signature Big Ten conference victory at home.

Why it matters: With the expanded playoff format, a second loss would severely damage Oregon's margin for error. The matchup highlights a quarterback duel between USC's Jayden Maiava, who leads the nation in passing yards, and Oregon's Dante Moore, a highly touted pro prospect. Mutual recruiting targets will also be in attendance, adding long-term program stakes to the outcome.

What to watch: Both offenses are expected to test struggling defenses under the lights in Los Angeles. The winner will establish an early advantage in the conference standings.