USC has to win in the trenches to beat Oregon. The Trojans' defensive line against the Oregon offensive line might be the number one key for the Men of Troy. If so, the USC offensive line versus Oregon's defensive front is certainly key number two.
We noted last week that "The Ducks need a lot more from their underachieving defensive line, as Ducks Wire explained:
"Regardless of your thoughts on the defense as a whole going into this season, there was a pretty undisputed thought that Eugene, Oregon, was home to the best defensive line in the nation. With four returning starters of Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, A'Mauri Washington, and Bear Alexander — four players who could be playing in the NFL right now — many believed that the front four would
dominate the trenches and be a game-changing unit for Oregon. Through two games, that has been anything but the case.
"The Ducks had zero sacks on Saturday, and just three QB hits against a team that was missing its starting left tackle and played much of the game without its starting center. They allowed the Cowboys to rush for 5.9 yards per carry and gave up over 200 yards on the ground. While a couple of players made big plays — D'Antre Robinson had a tipped pass that led to Devon Jackson's 96-yard pick-six, and Matayo Uiagalelei picked off a Mestemaker ball later in the 2nd quarter — the unit as a whole was forgettable and has largely been average this year. With so much talent on paper, this position group needs to step up if Oregon is going to have any hope of achieving the lofty goals it has set for itself. So far, it hasn't been close to good enough."
If USC's offensive line keeps Jayden Maiava clean, it will be a big uphill battle for Oregon. The Trojans know what kind of opportunity they have. It's up to the offensive line to bring it home.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC offensive line can make a statement vs Oregon defensive line
