Week 4 of the 2026 college football season is headlined in part by a Big Ten showdown between Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans.
This marks the conference opener for Oregon, while USC kicked off its Big Ten schedule with an unspectacular 42-35 victory at Rutgers last weekend.
The Trojans bring a 4-0 record with them back to Los Angeles Memorial Stadium, where they will likely face their toughest test of the young season - even though Rutgers was competitive the entire way in Week 3.
Oregon is wildly talented, but it has already taken a loss - falling at Oklahoma State 39-31 in Week 2.
With Saturday's game set for 7:30 pm ET on NBC, it’s time to break down the odds and discuss the best bets to make.
Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans betting picks and predictions
Oregon Ducks -3 (-110)
Oregon followed up its surprising loss to Oklahoma State by destroying Portland State 84-0 last Saturday.
Obviously you can't read much into any performance against an opponent like Portland State, but a shutout and an 84-point margin of victory should restore some confidence for head coach Dan Lanning's program.
The Ducks' offensive line has not done much in the way of protecting quarterback Dante Moore so far in 2026, but this should be a favorable matchup for that unit against a USC defense that has struggled to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Defensive coordinator Gary Patterson's crew has recorded a modest eight sacks for a total of 34 yards lost through four contests. The Trojans are giving up 203.8 passing yards per game on 7.7 yards per attempt.
Although Moore struggled at times against Oklahoma State, he comes in with a 9-to-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
USC has traditionally underwhelmed in big games under head coach Lincoln Riley. Based on its performances through four weeks of the 2026 campaign, it's hard to expect improvement in that department.
Letting Rutgers hang around for a full 60 minutes while racking up 460 yards of total offense is rather alarming. If not for winning the turnover battle 2-0 in that contest, the Trojans very well could have lost.
Over 61.5 (-105)
Moore and company should be licking their chops at the prospect of facing a USC defense that surrendered 30 points to Louisiana and 35 to Rutgers.
That does not bode well for the Trojans' chances of containing a Ducks offense that has a propensity for explosive plays. Oregon can score quickly, which not only means points on the door but also maximizes the number of overall possessions in this game.
If USC gets its hands on the ball a whole bunch of times, it can also post a sizable number. The Trojans rank in the top 25 nationally in points per game (43.0) and in the top 20 in total yards (500.3 per contest).
Quarterback Jayden Maiava is completing a whopping 75.7 percent of his passes this year with 12 touchdowns compared to only one interception. He has been sacked just twice through four weeks.
Expect plenty of fireworks between two teams that feature electric offenses and vulnerable defenses. As such, the over looks like the way to go.
Jayden Maiava over 263.5 passing yards (-114)
Maiava has cleared this number in three of four games, with the only exception being a 261-yard effort against Louisiana.
He now goes up against an Oregon defense that watched Oklahoma State signal-caller Drew Mestemaker pass for 317 yards and two touchdowns.
These two Big Ten rivals squared off on November 22 last year, when the Ducks rolled 42-27.
Another Oregon cover, a successful Over and a big day by Maiava should be in store. In that 2025 setback, he threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns.
Read more college football picks and predictions on site.
Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans odds
Oregon Ducks | -165 |
USC Trojans | +140 |
Spread | ORE -3 |
Total Points | O/U 61.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
