GO DUCKS!

Halftime Score: Ducks 28 - Trojans 17

1ST QUARTER: USC elected to receive and brought the return to the 30-yard line. Kedon Slovis connected with an open Michael Pittman Jr. for the first pass of the game. A play later, Tyler Vaughns picked up the first down with a short completion. A bobbled hand-off was secured by Pittman Jr for a gain of six, then a three yard completion followed by a Kenan Christon short run picked up another.

The Ducks got the Trojans to a 3rd-and-9 on their own 48, but Slovis was able to stay calm in the pocket despite some serious pressure and connect with Vaughns for 14 yards. Back-to-back one-yard runs by Christon converted on 2nd-and-2, and three plays later the Ducks had the Trojans at 3rd-and-10 after consecutive incompletions, but an obvious pass interference by Deommodore Lenoir on Pittman Jr. led to another first down.

Christon picked up five yards on first down, and on 3rd-and-5 Slovis did a masterful job scrambling away from pressure to hit Drake London for the 8-yard touchdown.

USC 7 - Ducks 0

Mykael Wright returned the kickoff for 26 yards. Oregon’s first offensive outing ended in a quick three-and-out: a CJ Verdell one-yard run, a six-yard sack by Kana’i Mauga, and a batted deep pass intended for Jaylon Redd which was both parts underthrown and an amazing play by USC’s Greg Johnson.

The Trojans started on their own 31-yard line. Christon picked up six yards on the ground and Amon-Ra St. Brown picked up two more through the air. A false start put them back five yards, but another pass interference on Oregon gifted USC a first down. The Trojans continued to move down the field, but on 3rd-and-1, Troy Dye blasted through the line for a five-yard sack, forcing a punt.

Starting at their own 8-yard line, Herbert attempted a pass to the shoulder of Johnny Johnson III but the receiver was unable to hold on. Verdell picked up five but on third down Herbert threw an ugly pick and Isaiah Pola-Mao returned it for 14 yards to the Ducks 8-yard line. The Oregon defense held strong, forcing the Trojans to settle for the field goal after gaining only two yards in three plays.

Trojans 10 - Ducks 0

After the touchback, the Ducks lost three yards on a screen to Mycah Pittman. Herbert threw an incomplete pass nowhere near Juwan Johnson on second down, but gained 17 on a pass to Johnson the next play. However, a 10-yard sack by Jay Tufele on 2nd-and-9 doomed the drive.

Slovis hit a receiver in the hands but the Trojan was already looking to move forward without securing the pass. The final play of the first quarter was a 5-yard run by Christon to make it 3rd-and-5 on the USC 18.

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2ND QUARTER: On third down, Slovis moved out of the pocket and hit London who picked up big yardage after catching the pass just past the first down marker. Then, an illegal substitution gave the Trojans a 1st-and-5 to work with, and London was able to earn the first down on second down.

Slovis continued to do his best Vernon Adams impression by escaping pressure, but was forced to throw the ball out of bounds. A pass to Vaughns picked up six, but on 3rd-and-4 Verone McKinley was able to pick off a ball that bounced off a receivers fingers and return it for 25 yards. Dye was called for a personal foul for 15 yards.

Verdell picked up five yards on first down, and on the next play Johnson dropped a pass but USC’s Isaiah Pola-Mao was called for targeting, resulting in an ejection and first down. Then, on first down, the officials called the penalty on USC for holding Jake Hanson, giving the Ducks 10 more yards.

Johnson gained 14 yards on a completion from Herbert then picked up three more on the next play. Verdell did an amazing job staying on his feet after a hard hit and was lucky to lose just one yard, and on 3rd-and-8, Herbert ran it in for a 10-yard touchdown.

Trojans 10 - Ducks 7

Slovis missed his first pass from the Trojan 20, but once again connected with London for a big gian from the slot. On a bubble screen, Christon gained five on first down and St. Brown picked up nine to keep the chains moving. After what looked like a huge gain, a Trojan completion was reversed when the call was reversed, but two plays later USC gained the first.

The hot head of Austin Faoliu led to his ejection and some great field position for the Trojans, but on 3rd-and-goal, Drayton Carlberg sacked Slovis who fumbled the ball which was gobbled up by LaMar Winston Jr. on the Trojan 8-yard line.

Verdell picked up seven on a short pass and then tight end Hunter Kampmoyer picked up the first down. Redd caught a 19-yard pass to place the Ducks on their 43-yard line and Clay Helton called a timeout to calm his team down.

Prior to the snap, Cristobal called a timeout right after coming out of the commercial break which surprisingly benefited the Ducks as USC was called for a personal foul on the non-play. Travis Dye picked up 11 yards on his first carry and a few plays later the Trojans were called for a roughing the passer which gave Oregon the first down.

A pass to Redd turned into a shovel pass to Verdell for a gain of four, then Johnson continued his big day by fighting for nine yards to reach the one-yard line. Cyrus Habibi-Likio entered the game in an attempt to pick up the short touchdown but USC blew up the Duck o-line for a one-yard loss. But on 2nd-and-goal, Redd received the reverse and fought through an arm tackle to score.

Ducks 14 - Trojans 10

Kayvon Thibodeaux made back to back huge plays on the Trojan’s next possession: first a batted pass, then a rush that affected the throwing motion of Slovis resulting in a 32-yard Brady Breeze pick six.

Ducks 21 - Trojans 10

DJ Johnson earned his first career sack on fist down, but Slowis was able to find Vaughns for the first down despite the Duck defense being offsides. Vaughns picked up 19 on the next play and suddenly the Trojans were on the Duck 35. Oregon nearly forced the Ducks into a long field goal, but Isaac Slade-Matautia committed a costly mistake which led to an unnecessary roughness and a fresh set of downs. Slovis threw an incompletion, then Winston Jr. tipped a pass for another, but on 3rd-and-10 Slovis connected with Pittman Jr. for a 13-yard touchdown.

Ducks 21 - Trojans 17

Then, just when the momentum had appeared to switch, Mykael Wright returned the kickoff for a 100-yard score.

Ducks 28 - Trojans 17

Camden Lewis kicked the ball out of bounds meaning the Trojans started at midfield, but weren’t able to make anything of it.

-END OF HALF-

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports