THE LOCALS

OREGON (4-3, 1-3) at USC (3-3, 1-2)

* KICKOFF: 7:15 p.m., Fox Sports West.

* STORYLINE: Oregon tailback Saladin McCullough plays against USC for the first time, four years after an invalidated Scholastic Assessment Test score ended his prospect of playing for the Trojans. The teams are meeting for the first time since 1994, when Oregon upset 19th-ranked USC at the Coliseum, 22-7, on its way to the Rose Bowl.

* USC UPDATE: An emotional victory over Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., capped a week in which Coach John Robinson vowed to resign at the end of the season if the Trojans don’t turn things around. That effort continues today for a team that still must play Washington, Stanford and UCLA among its final five opponents.

* OREGON UPDATE: The Ducks ended a losing streak at three games by beating Utah, 31-13. The Ducks’ quarterback situation remains undefined, with Akili Smith and Jason Maas sharing time. McCullough ranks seventh nationally with 175.43 all-purpose yards a game.

* EDGE TO USC: The Trojan defense needs to keep a lid on an Oregon offense averaging 29.6 points a game.

* THE LINE: USC by 8.