USC fans are buzzing over their latest recruiting victory, flipping 2026 four-star quarterback Jonas Williams from Oregon. The reaction highlights how much the rivalry has evolved since USC’s golden era. Following Williams’ commitment switch on Saturday, Trojan supporters flooded social media with celebrations, taunts, and over-the-top memes. One fan even shared a photoshopped image of Lincoln Riley delivering a power slap to Oregon’s mascot, captioned, “How USC’s offseason is going so far.”
The USC Twitter community ran with it, flooding timelines with mocking memes and sarcastic jabs, including the ever-popular “zero natties” graphic.
Here, we embrace all forms of college football passion, from spirited rivalries to playful trolling between fanbases. Washington vs. Oregon, Oregon State vs. Oregon—these back-and-forth jabs have been a staple for years. It’s all part of the fun of supporting your team and staying engaged during the offseason, whether through spring practice updates, recruiting buzz, or any football news to hold fans over until August 31.
Big Ten Media Days are set for July 22-24 in Las Vegas—an ideal location with affordable flights, great food, and entertainment, plus the chance to hear top coaches and players preview the season. Meanwhile, Oregon will hold its traditional spring game on April 26 at 1:00 p.m. PST at Autzen Stadium. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of non-perishable food items for Food for Lane County. With Texas, Ohio State, USC, and Nebraska canceling their spring games, Oregon’s remains the premier spring football event on the West Coast, continuing its tradition as a fan favorite.
Back to the Trojans. While USC fans are having fun with their offseason rivalry narrative, the reality is a bit more complicated. In January, Oregon and Dan Lanning landed one of USC’s top returning offensive linemen, senior guard Emmanuel Pregnon (6-5, 320), from the transfer portal. With 35 career starts, Pregnon is expected to step in as a key piece for the Ducks this season, while quarterback Jonas Williams won’t suit up for USC until 2026.
Pregnon will likely replace Marcus Harper II, who is preparing for the NFL Draft, though he isn’t among the 12 Oregon players invited. The Ducks also bolstered their offensive line with three key transfers—left tackle Isaiah World, right tackle Alex Harkey, and Pregnon—along with five four-star linemen in the 2025 class, including highly touted tackles Douglas Utu and Ziyare Addison.
Oregon wrapped up the offseason with the No. 4 recruiting class and the No. 4 transfer portal class, according to On3 Sports. While Ohio State dominated them in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, no team out west can claim to have pushed the Ducks around. Coming off a 13-1 season and a Big Ten Championship, Oregon may not have USC’s historical prestige, but in the present, the Ducks are in a much stronger position with a brighter outlook for the next three seasons.
Oregon and USC will renew their on-field rivalry at Autzen Stadium on Nov. 22. By then, the direction of both programs—and their coaches—will be defined by results rather than offseason trash talk.
When you’re 7-6 and stuck in the middle of the conference, you have to celebrate the small wins and moral victories where you can.
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