You can tell who stayed up late to watch this game based on the way people talked about the result.
The scoreboard indicated one thing. The eye test produced something completely different. The 36-27 final score may have been only a nine-point win for the Oregon Ducks over the USC Trojans. However, it was not a game that ever seemed as close as the final number suggests.
After a touchdown on the very first play of the fourth quarter, the Ducks held a 22-point lead over the Trojans. If not for a touchdown late in the game, the narrative surrounding this contest would feel quite a bit different.
It was yet another legendary performance for Bo Nix, a standout game for Oregon’s defensive line and a somewhat frustrating outcome for fans considering how many opportunities were left on the table that would have made this a truly lopsided affair.
In the end, a win is a win, though, and the Ducks earned one without much stress. Here are our biggest takeaways from the game: