sgvtribune
LOS ANGELES — For USC offensive lineman Elijah Paige, game day preparation begins the moment he wakes up. "It all starts with how we wake up, how we stretch in the hotel, how we do walkthroughs in the hotel," Paige said. "Everything that we do leading up to the game should be that fast start, and that all leads to the first drive of the game."
The 12th-ranked Trojans (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) have been slow out of the gate in their last two contests, and a strong opening will be crucial when they face No. 20 Oregon (2-1, 0-0) on Saturday. The Ducks boast a defense that can punish early mistakes.
In the win over Louisiana, quarterback Jayden Maiava went 0-for-3 with an interception on USC's first drive. The following week against Rutgers, Maiava completed just 3 of 8 passes, and the Trojans committed two penalties for 15 yards on their opening possession. They advanced to the 17-yard line but had to settle for a field goal.
"We haven't played some of our best ball in the last few weeks," head coach Lincoln Riley said. "That's always important moving forward, but we've been able to get in some pretty nice rhythms as well. I don't know if there's anything magic to it. We need to play a little bit cleaner, we need to take care of the ball, and we need to be better in the red zone."
Oregon's defense ranks fifth in the Big Ten with a turnover margin of 1.33. The Ducks, winners of four straight over USC, lead the conference with five interceptions through three games, with four different players recording a pick. Freshman defensive back Jett Washington paces the defense with two interceptions.
But it's not just about securing the ball—it's about finishing drives. "Finishing in the red zone was definitely one of the big points for us," Riley said. "Obviously, the previous week, we had a turnover. We want to come out of the gates fast. That's a big part of it, but you've also got to be ready to respond if you don't. Our guys have done a pretty good job of that."
Playing at the Coliseum could provide an advantage for USC, which holds a 24-9-1 record against Oregon in Los Angeles. The Trojans avoid travel and can maintain their usual game-day routines in a familiar setting. "It's just being in the Coliseum, knowing what everything looks like, what everything sounds like," Paige said, "and, really, the momentum of just having the fans cheer for you rather than the fans cheering for somebody else."
This matchup could have significant implications for the 12-team College Football Playoff. Oregon already has a loss to Oklahoma State, while USC can ill afford an early setback with games against No. 13 Penn State, No. 7 Ohio State, and No. 5 Indiana still ahead.
Riley and his players stressed during Tuesday's media availability that they are not treating this game with any more urgency than usual. "We're just focused on the game plan, the preparation, practice every single day," Maiava said.
Kickoff Time for Washington
USC's home game against Washington on Oct. 3 will kick off at 4:30 p.m. and air on NBC (Ch. 4). It will be the second consecutive 4:30 p.m. home start for the Trojans, who face Oregon at the same time this weekend.
Weekly Awards
Safety Christian Pierce was named the Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week after recording a game-high 11 tackles and an interception in USC's 42-35 win over Rutgers. He led all defensive backs nationally in tackles that weekend. Kicker Caden Chittenden earned Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors, while running back Riley Wormley was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Chittenden made two field goals and four extra points for 10 points against Rutgers. Wormley scored his first career touchdown and finished with two touchdowns on four carries.
Originally reported by sgvtribune.