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Throughout the early part of the 2026 season, USC Trojans running back Waymond Jordan’s return from injury has been a steady, resilient growth. Now, as the No. 12 Trojans host No. 20 Oregon on Saturday, Jordan appears elated at the thought of getting the chance to play against an elite opponent.
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In four games this year, Jordan has carried the ball 37 times for 188 yards and just one touchdown. Running back King Miller has carried most of the load in the rushing game. It seems to be a precautionary measure for Jordan, who had a season-ending injury last October.
Yet, Jordan continues to be a prominent figure in coach Lincoln Riley’s backfield, and with the recent breakout performance by freshman Riley Wormley, the running game will surely be a key against Oregon.
After Tuesday’s practice, Jordan discussed sharing the ball with his fellow running backs and the elation he has of playing a primetime game against the Ducks.
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“I think we’ve had a few explosive runs in the last couple of games, but I think we still can gel together and just be all on the same page every day.”
The Trojans rushed for a combined 184 yards in their previous game against Rutgers, with Miller and Wormley each scoring a touchdown.
“I think he came in and gave us a great spark, breaking out some big runs and coming in with a big-time catch to score a touchdown,” Jordan said of Wormley’s performance. “So, I think he’s been coming on really strong.”
Over the last two games, Wormley’s seen more playing time, scoring his first career rushing and receiving touchdown as a Trojan against Rutgers last week.
“Coach (Anthony) Jones has his like method of breaking up the reps to make sure we’re all fresh, and we just keep competing and getting better every day.”
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“I feel amazing. Just a lot of conditioning to the side with the strength staff and, honestly, just playing football and just getting back used to it.”
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Many will remember last season against Michigan when Jordan suffered a leg injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
“I’ve been really excited to play every game this season, to be honest. Being out last season, I haven’t gotten to play football in a long time, so just being able to be a part of every game, I’m just excited for every one of them.”
Last year, the Trojans lost a fourth consecutive game against the Ducks in a disastrous 42-27 defeat. USC only rushed for 52 total yards, a stat that Jordan and his backfield are looking to change this season. It will also be the first time Jordan faces off against Oregon and their defense.
“I think they fly around; they’re a real athletic defense. They have a few weaknesses and a few strengths. I think we’re just going to go in and just play our game and attack everything we can.”
“I think it’s just an advantage. We don’t have to travel; we’re just at home and comfortable. We just get to be around our fans and have a great atmosphere,” Jordan said about the home-field advantage.
The Trojans will host the Ducks on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd, and it’s safe to say the environment will be a major asset if they want to finally edge out a win.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Running Back Waymond Jordan Drops Insight Into Finding Success Against Oregon.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM.