LOS ANGELES– It was a vicious Top 25 college football matchup on Saturday, September 26, as the NO. 12 USC Trojans endured a painful 41-27 loss against the NO.20 Oregon Ducks at the Coliseum.

Both teams roared to an early start, exchanging blows as if this was a prize heavyweight fight. There was more than the usual amount of bad blood between the two teams, especially after the transfer of UCLA quarterback Dante Moore two years ago.

Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore was the victim of a vicious, dirty hit by Trojan Linebacker Desman Stephens II. And the melee was on. Benches cleared as swarms of Ducks and Trojans shoved each other in an all-out brawl.

Moore spent several minutes on the field before being loaded onto a cart and taken to Los Angeles General Medical Center by ambulance.

Oregon backup Quarterback Dylan Raiola managed to throw for 289 yards and two touchdowns against USC’s defense.

This marks the fifth time in a row Oregon has knocked off USC. Head Coach Lincoln Riley has failed to reach the College Football Playoffs and has struggled in big games during his tenure at SC.

When the lights are at their brightest, the Trojans usually find ways to lose. USC is now 5-15 (.250) against top-25 teams under Riley. It’s now 2-6 against ranked Big Ten opponents over the last two seasons.

Defensive Coordinator Gary Patterson was helpless as the USC defense couldn’t get off the field. The Trojans gave up 366 passing yards to Raiola, and they allowed the Ducks to convert on 50 percent of third downs and 100 percent of fourth downs.

On Raiola’s first pass, he threw a touchdown, and the Nebraska transfer proved how valuable backups are. He carried the momentum in the second half, dissecting the Trojans’ defense with the help of running back Dierre Hill Jr., so the Ducks didn’t skip a beat.

Forcing USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava was forced to play catch-up the majority of the game, and it did by tying the score quickly in the fourth quarter.

Maiava threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt continued to step up in fellow freshman Trent Mosley’s absence with a team-high 114 receiving yards and a touchdown.

USC’s running attack sputtered, making it a one-dimensional offense.  It was simply a game USC needed to win, but failed to do so.

Tied at 27-27 in the 4th quarter,  an extremely controversial call affected the game. The Ducks benefited from USC committing a roughing-the-passer penalty on a third-and-15 at the 40-yard line.

It was an awful call; the Trojans Lineman inadvertently grazed Raiola’s helmet, not even close to a penalty. Thanks to the referees, they capitalized when Wide Receiver Dakorien Moore broke free on a chair route, and Raiola hit him near the pylon to restore a 7-point lead.

“The penalty there,” Riley said, “we had all the momentum in the world, but you can’t do that against good teams.”

Trailing by seven with 7:19 left and both offenses firing, Riley kept USC’s offense on the field as it faced a fourth-and-7 from its own 49-yard line. Maiava targeted Zacharyus Williams across the middle, and Oregon’s Brandon Finney Jr. stepped in front to break up the pass.

Next week, the Trojans will look to rebound with a matchup against Washington on Saturday, October 3, at the Coliseum.