Ducks Fly South Short-Handed to Face Trojans

The No. 20 Oregon Ducks are set to play the No. 12 USC Trojans in their opening conference game on Saturday in Los Angeles. However, the Ducks are facing a significant challenge as several key players are sidelined due to injuries. Receiver Jeremiah McClellan has a broken foot, offensive lineman Trent Ferguson is expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, and linebacker Brayden Platt is out to start the season with an undisclosed injury. Running back Simeon Price has also been added to the "out" list.

Coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer are leaning deeper into their offensive depth chart due to these absences. True freshman Messiah Hampton is receiving more targets at receiver, and true freshman Andrew Olesh is seeing more snaps at tight end alongside Kendre Harrison. These contributions from less experienced players will be crucial for Oregon's College Football Playoff hopes against the Trojans.

The USC Trojans are also contending with their own share of injuries. Starting offensive lineman Jonah Monheim suffered a season-ending knee injury early in fall camp. Star defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart is out with a stress fracture and listed as questionable, while freshman receiver Trent Mosley is also expected to miss additional games with a wrist injury. Nickel Alex Graham is dealing with an injury but is reportedly pushing through.