Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning did not wait long after a 41-27 victory over No. 12 Southern California to needle the Trojans on Saturday night, first about the crowd and then about the program’s appeal to local recruits.
Lanning told reporters he had watched three of USC’s televised games this season and had not seen the Coliseum packed until the Ducks arrived.
“I’ve watched three of their TV games. I haven’t seen a game packed yet, but we were here, it was packed tonight. So I guess when the Ducks show up, that’s how you fill up the Coliseum,” Lanning said.
He closed the news conference by pointing to his 3-0 record against the Trojans.
“If you’re interested in winning football games, you’re from this area, you should go to Oregon. You want to go to a Chris Brown concert, you should go here (USC).”
The remarks landed after No. 20 Oregon improved to 3-1 and 1-0 in the Big Ten. USC fell to 4-1 and 1-1. The announced attendance was 75,500, or 97.4 percent of the Coliseum’s 77,500-seat capacity, a sharp contrast with earlier home dates that drew criticism for empty seats.
Oregon has now won five consecutive meetings with USC and eight of the last 10. The Trojans still lead the all-time series 38-25-2, including a 24-10-1 mark in Los Angeles. Lanning’s three wins came in 2023 (36-27 in Eugene), 2025 (42-27 in Eugene) and Saturday in the first regular season visit to the Coliseum since 2019.
The Ducks needed a backup quarterback to finish the job. Starter Dante Moore, a Heisman Trophy candidate, left in an ambulance in the second quarter after a late hit on a slide by USC linebacker Desman Stephens. Stephens was ejected for targeting. The game was delayed about 15 minutes.
Dylan Raiola, the former Nebraska starter who transferred to Oregon in January, completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. He threw a three-yard scoring pass to Evan Stewart on his second snap and later hit Dakorien Moore for a 29-yard go-ahead touchdown with 8:35 left. Jordon Davison’s two-yard run with 2:03 remaining sealed it.
Oregon finished with 504 total yards and scored on six of its last seven drives. Running backs Dierre Hill Jr. and Davison combined for three rushing touchdowns. Tight end Jamari Johnson caught seven passes for 119 yards.
Jayden Maiava threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns for USC but completed only 23 of 42 attempts and was intercepted late. The Trojans tied the score at 27-27 on an 11-yard pass to Tanook Hines with 12:41 to play, then could not stop Oregon again. USC’s defense allowed 505 yards, among its highest totals of the past three seasons.
Lanning entered the night 50-9 in five seasons at Oregon. The win made him 51-9. Lincoln Riley is 39-19 in five seasons at USC and 0-3 against Lanning. Riley’s Trojans are 5-15 against ranked teams since he arrived in Los Angeles.
The comments fit a growing West Coast recruiting rivalry. Oregon has sold itself as a winning destination for Southern California high school talent even as USC remains the historic local brand. Lanning’s jab about a Chris Brown concert framed the Coliseum as an entertainment venue rather than a football factory.
USC had already faced questions about home crowds. The Trojans announced 51,144 for their Week 0 opener against San Jose State, the lowest figure of the Riley era, and 53,014 against Fresno State. Average home attendance dropped from 71,571 in 2024 to 67,782 in 2025. Saturday’s near-sellout arrived only when a ranked Oregon team came to town.
Oregon opened conference play on the road for the first time as a Big Ten member and is 10-0 in conference road games since joining the league. The Ducks lost starting quarterback Moore for most of the night and still outscored USC 28-17 after halftime.
The victory keeps Oregon’s College Football Playoff hopes intact after a Week 2 loss at Oklahoma State. USC, which entered 4-0, now faces a steeper climb in a conference that includes Ohio State, Indiana and other playoff contenders.
Lanning’s press conference quotes circulated quickly on social media. The combination of a road win without a starting quarterback and the pointed recruiting line gave Oregon a statement night in a stadium that once defined West Coast football.
The Ducks return home next. USC must regroup before the rest of a demanding Big Ten slate. The series, once dominated by the Trojans, now belongs to Lanning’s Oregon teams.
