Did USC's reign as Pac-10 champions end with its loss to Oregon on Saturday?

The USC football team's loss to Oregon occurred on Oct. 31, meaning that coach Pete Carroll's record with the Trojans in the month of November remains perfect at 27-0.

That might be the only thing Carroll can be happy about after his team was destroyed by the Ducks, 47-20, on Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

It was the worst defeat for USC under its ninth-year coach, and it might have taken the Trojans out of Pac-10 sainthood for the first time since 2001.

The team now sits humbly at 3-2 in the conference, tied with a Cal squad that it dismantled on Oct. 3.

Even if USC wins each of its last four games -- which seems nearly inevitable considering the team's history of late-season success -- catching up to Oregon is pretty much out of the question for Carroll and Co.

The Trojans are no strangers to monumental upsets, as they've dropped games against UCLA, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington in the last four years.

Three of those losses proved to be hiccups on the road to Pac-10 prominence. This time around, though, a 16-13 setback in Seattle was only the start of something much larger. A flawless November, it seems, will be little consolation.

--Jeff Goodman

Are there still any lingering doubts about how good Oregon really is?

Now that was impressive.

After a game that should be classified as a beatdown, No. 8 Oregon has now put itself in prime position to end USC's seven year-long reign as Pac-10 kings.

The 47-20 win by the Ducks was far from ordinary. They ran for 392 yards against what was the nation's fifth-ranked defense coming into the game. The 613 yards of total offense by Oregon were the second-most that the Trojans have surrendered in program history. Finally, the 27-point margin of victory was by far the most lopsided loss for USC during the Pete Carroll era.

So how did Oregon do it?

It started with tailback LaMichael James. The freshman rushed 24 times for a career-high 183 yards and a touchdown. As impressive as those numbers were, however, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli trumped his teammate.

Masoli, especially in the second half, turned his offense into an unstoppable machine. He was efficient with his passes and threw for 222 yards and a score. When he couldn't find his receivers, he turned into a run threat and rushed for 164 yards with a touchdown.

The offense, which looked so underwhelming in the first game of the season, left the Trojans completely confused. And don't forget about that defense. The Ducks held the USC offense to just three points in the second half.

It's truly amazing.

Many had believed this team's season was on the brink of collapse about two months ago.

Now, after utterly dominating its last five opponents, Oregon could potentially earn a spot in the BCS title game. To the voters and naysayers who still doubt the ability of the Ducks, Masoli has some lasting words.

"When we get in our rhythm, no one can really hang with us," he said.

--Jimmy Tran

Tags: USC, PAC-10 FOOTBALL, OREGON