What the USC-Oregon game's impact on college football is

College football season is creeping around the corner as we’ve entered the final month of 2023 that will feature zero college football games. So, as the season approaches, it’s time to take out our calendars and begin marking down the biggest matchups of the year. And On3’s JD PicKell has one particular west coast contest he believes folks should keep their eyes on.

That game: USC at Oregon on Nov. 11. The Trojans and Ducks finished as two of the top teams in the conference last fall and both return their star quarterbacks. In the final edition of this Pac-12 rivalry before USC is Big Ten-bound, PicKell believes there could be College Football Playoff stakes. So take a look at his full explanation why it could be the Game of the Year in Pac-12 country and even have some national title implications.

You can watch PicKell’s breakdown right here or read his full comments below.

JD PicKell circles USC at Oregon on his calendar

“This could be the game of the year in the Pac-12, and it’s USC at Oregon. This could be a Pac-12 title preview, because remember now, the Pac-12, no more divisions, they just take the top two. So USC has actually gone to the Big Ten next year, so their last go around in the Pac-12. But don’t be surprised if we see this game again in the Pac-12 title game.

“But for USC, they have just the gauntlet to end their season. I mean, the last six games are just absolutely brutal: play Utah, they play obviously Oregon, they play Notre Dame, they got UCLA. Like it is just the absolute works, the Hunger Games for USC to finish the year.

“This is their second to last game of the season, they get UCLA after Oregon, but you got to Eugene, you got to go to Autzen Stadium, and that place will be rocking. Could be another College GameDay stop for USC if they are undefeated up to this point, or let’s just say they have one loss up to this point. It’s the second-to-last game of the year. You would imagine they probably are a favorite to make the College Football Playoff if they win out, but a one-loss USC team is going to have a really good chance; I don’t know if they control their own destiny, but they’re gonna have a really good chance.

“But the thing about USC, if they have one loss or if they have no losses, this will be the last couple of steps for them on the tightrope of what their schedule is, and the last couple of steps of a tightrope are considered to be the most dangerous. And you got to go to Eugene, like, I’m just telling you, if you were a USC fan, this is one I’m circling, underlining, starring. Like, this is going to be the game for USC if they’re going to make the College Football Playoff. This will be one of those games that you really have to take a a close look at.”

“Now for Oregon, they’d love to spoil it. We’re not even taking into account that Oregon could be in the exact same spot. I just talked about USC being in, could only have one loss they, could be a team that’s looking for a CFP birth. Heck, Oregon and USC could both be undefeated heading into this game. Could you imagine we’re living in a world where USC and Oregon, both undefeated, and at that point you’re assuming that both have a very legitimate chance to make the CFP and are assuming they’re going to play again in a couple of weeks for a Pac-12 title game.”

“I’ll just say this: they have the pieces. They’ve retooled a little bit through the portal on defense. If that secondary can hold it down and can be improved from a season ago. Bo Nix, if we saw the Bo we saw in 2022, they’re going to score a lot of points. Defense holds it down, that’s a recipe for a lot of good things to happen for your football team, to say the least.

“Dan Lanning has built it in a very short amount of time. This game, to me, will have everything from entertainment value to elite quarterback play. It’ll be high-scoring, it’ll be an incredible atmosphere. Game of the Year watch, USC and Oregon, without a doubt.”