Analysts Split as Oregon Visits USC in Week 4 Showdown
The short version
- Oregon and USC meet Saturday night in Los Angeles in a key Week 4 conference matchup
- Oregon is the road favorite despite a lower ranking than USC
- Picks were split: Klatt, Lewan, and Pickell took Oregon; Pate, Rubenstein, Hildenbrandt, and McElroy took USC; Compton took the over at 61.5
- Both teams remain in the College Football Playoff race, with coaches Dan Lanning and Lincoln Riley facing scrutiny
National college football pundits are divided on Saturday's Oregon-USC game in Los Angeles, with picks and score predictions scattered on both sides.
College football's Week 4 slate brings one of the most anticipated matchups of the season, as the Oregon Ducks travel to Los Angeles to face the USC Trojans on Saturday night. Both teams enter conference play with significant stakes, as each is trying to remain in the College Football Playoff conversation.
The game carries added weight for both head coaches. Oregon's Dan Lanning and USC's Lincoln Riley are each coaching for credibility with their fan bases, according to Yahoo Sports' Ducks Wire, which compiled the expert predictions.
Oregon enters as the road favorite despite being ranked lower than USC. The outcome, the report notes, may hinge on the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Fox analyst Joel Klatt picked Oregon to win a high-scoring game, 45-42, while taking USC against the spread. He questioned whether either team could be fully trusted at this point and said he expects USC quarterback Maiava to play well and the Trojans to run the ball effectively against an Oregon defensive line that he said is not playing up to its potential.
Josh Pate went the other direction, picking USC to win outright. Will Compton focused on the total, taking the over at 61.5 points, saying he does not expect either defense to slow the opposing quarterback for a full four quarters and anticipates a game decided by whichever team has the ball last.
Former Oregon lineman Taylor Lewan took Oregon minus 3.5, citing Lanning's program culture and his preseason belief that the Ducks would win the national championship. Dan Rubenstein sided with USC plus 3.5, predicting a 41-35 Trojans win in a shootout despite acknowledging that Oregon has better receivers and more high-end talent overall. Ty Hildenbrandt also picked USC outright, 38-35, calling it a prove-it moment for the Trojans.
JD Pickell chose Oregon, 41-37, saying he still views USC as a playoff-caliber team with its roster and offensive firepower but could not pick against the Ducks in this spot. Former quarterback Greg McElroy took USC, 34-31, citing the Trojans' pass protection, third-down offense, and home-field advantage at the Coliseum, while noting Oregon's edge in takeaways.
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