USC’s 42-27 loss to the Oregon Ducks was indeed a bitter moment for Lincoln Riley. Although the Trojans had a fun air game with Jayden Maiava hitting 306 and three TDs, and Makai Lemon went off and even tossed a trick-play score. The mistakes were mostly due to a lack of ground attack and protection issues, as well as the punt return touchdown and penalty on the missed field goal, which flipped the momentum for good. But no one could’ve guessed what Lincoln Riley said about the real reason for the loss.

The USC head coach openly blamed the Trojans’ injury setbacks during the post-game press conference. “J’Onre Reed went in there and gutted it out for us. He wasn’t very healthy,” Riley said. “Killian going down was a factor. I mean, there’s no question about that. Obviously, not having Paige, and we missed a couple of assignments in the run game, where we had some opportunities.”

The Trojans’ O-line entered the game already beat up. J’Onre Reed went down way before facing Oregon. USC was supposed to cruise comfortably in the fourth quarter of a smooth game against Northwestern. But then disaster struck as Reed went down in pain. USC’s O-line has been like a war zone. Elijah Paige is missing time, and Killian O’Connor dealt with a knee issue earlier in the year that sidelined him. The Trojans haven’t managed to field the same five starters on the line for more than two consecutive games all season, as injuries have kept forcing changes.

During warmups, it was clear the depth was thin. Jayden Maiava, normally a quarterback, was taking snaps behind Reed, and Killian O’Connor was slowly getting back into action, replacing the injured Reed. When Reed went down, O’Connor stepped cold onto the field for an important third-down snap. Thanks to that effort, USC was able to keep the offense humming and eventually sealed the win with a field goal. Killian O’Connor did return against Oregon, but luck didn’t support him for long. During the first quarter tie of 7-7, O’Connor, their starting center, went down in pain during USC’s second drive.

The injury monster seemed to come back to haunt him, sidelining him for weeks after the Illinois game. Losing O’Connor meant USC had to scramble with a backup center, a walk-on left guard, and shuffling linemen all over the place. The offensive line’s irregularities scattered just as Oregon’s Dante Moore connected for a touchdown on the very next drive. So yes, the injury woes were definitely a factor, but that doesn’t cover up for all the other Trojans’ mistakes.

Were injuries the sole reason for the Trojans’ loss and botched playoff path?

The Trojans’ biggest problems at Autzen Stadium came from special teams disasters, drive-killing and extending penalties, and some brutal turnovers. Oregon flipped the momentum with an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown to jump back to a two-score lead. Then USC whiffed on a 27-yard chip-shot field goal, wasting a huge chance before halftime. The Trojans also racked up eight penalties for 103 yards.

Most of them were mental mistakes that either stalled their own drives or kept Oregon’s alive. Turnovers and blown conversions didn’t help either. Star QB Jayden Maiava tossed two picks, and USC botched a two-point try in the fourth quarter that would’ve made it a one-score game. Instead, they stayed down eight and had to keep chasing a two-score deficit. Oregon owned the line of scrimmage, running for 4.4 yards a carry compared to USC’s 1.9. That let the Ducks control the pace and finish the game on their terms.

The lack of a run game was also a factor. USC was held to a season-low 52 rushing yards as compared to Oregon’s 179 rushing yards. USC was held to a season-low 52 rushing yards. That’s exactly why Lincoln Riley admitted that the team “missed a couple of assignments in the run game.” Crucial question at this point: What happens to the Trojans’ Playoff berth? USC dropped to 1-3 against top 25-ranked teams this year, with road losses that include Illinois and Notre Dame. That Oregon game highlighted their struggle in an uphill battle.

Now they need a big dose of chaos in the rest of the season to even sneak back into playoff talks with a 9-3 finish. But the silver lining? The Trojans could still find momentum by winning the rivalry game against UCLA next week.