NFL Draft

Bo Nix Shines, Caleb Williams Struggles as Oregon Holds Off USC

It was another rough night for Caleb Williams and the Trojans, while Bo Nix and the Ducks kept things moving in the right direction.

Luke Easterling

Bo Nix Shines, Caleb Williams Struggles as Oregon Holds Off USC
Bo Nix Shines, Caleb Williams Struggles as Oregon Holds Off USC /

Another week, another forgettable performance for Caleb Williams and USC, who fell 36-27 to Oregon on the road Saturday night, despite a valiant attempt at a second-half comeback.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Williams completed just 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 291 yards and a touchdown, adding another score on the ground. As has been the case for much of the season, Williams spent the majority of the game running for his life in the face of a relentless Oregon pass rush.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix was downright surgical for the Ducks, completing 23 of 31 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns. His first two completions, both touchdowns, went for a combined 161 yards:

Despite his up-and-down 2023 season, Williams is still the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, though North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye might give him a run for his money at this point.

Nix continues to boost his own draft stock with his performance so far this year, and could be playing his way into first-round consideration thanks to his unparalleled starting experience, versatile skill set, and efficiency.

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Luke Easterling
LUKE EASTERLING

Luke Easterling (he/him) has been covering college football and the NFL for more than two decades, with a particular focus on the nexus of both, the NFL Draft. Writing for some of the largest and most recognizable brands in sports media, Luke's experience and expertise in evaluating potential NFL prospects and evaluating team needs/fits has earned the appreciation of his readers, and the respect of his peers. Luke cut his sports journalism teeth at The Tampa Tribune before spending two years at Bleacher Report as a featured columnist covering the NFL Draft and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke then spent nearly seven years at USA TODAY Sports Media Group as editor of Draft Wire and Bucs Wire, building both into authoritative destination sites for their respective audiences. Now at The Arena Group, Luke covers the NFL and college football for Athlon Sports, and runs Sports Illustrated's FanNation site for the NFL Draft. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Luke has been a featured guest on ESPN Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio, SiriusXM and more.  Based in Tampa, Florida (the true home of the Cuban sandwich), Luke plays the drums, loves 2000s pop-punk, watches way too many British murder mystery shows, and channels the energy of his deep-south Grammy and his full-Italian Nana in the kitchen. Twitter: @lukeeasterling Email: luke.easterling@si.com

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