Things have gone badly for the Oregon Ducks lately, with two losses in their last three games, including an embarrassing 21-10 loss to Illinois a week ago. A lot has gone wrong for the Ducks, who sit at 4-3 and will be without quarterback Dante Moore the rest of the way. Even with three losses, Oregon still has a slight chance to make the College Football Playoff.

According to the A to Z Sports College Football Playoff Predictor, the Ducks have a 3 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff. If Oregon can beat Northwestern and Ohio State over the next two weeks, that number would jump to 21 percent. 

Oregon takes on Northwestern this weekend, and that game comes first. However, Ducks fans should also be keeping an eye on a few other matchups around the country.

Oregon fans need to root for USC against Ohio State

This week’s rooting guide for Oregon has the Ducks pulling for a USC win over Ohio State in Week 9. A Trojans victory would raise Oregon’s playoff chances by 2 percent, and it’s the most important game in the Big Ten this weekend.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a new starting quarterback in Julian Sayin, and they’re making the trip to Southern California coming off their bye week. On the flip side, USC is in a must-win situation if it wants to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive.

The Trojans are coming off an embarrassing loss to Wisconsin last week. Another loss could all but put a nail in Lincoln Riley’s time as the head coach at USC, so the stakes are high on both sidelines.

Oregon fans might not be used to rooting for USC, but that’s exactly what they need to do this weekend. A Buckeyes loss also matters for the Ducks because Ohio State is the next opponent after Northwestern.

Ducks need the teams that beat them to keep winning

Additionally, Oregon needs its strength of schedule to improve. That means the losses on the Ducks’ resume need to look better, and the only way that happens is if the teams that beat them continue to win.

Illinois is on the road against Maryland this weekend, and Ducks fans will need to root for the Illini. Coming off a win over Oregon, Illinois stacking another victory would make that 21-10 result look a little less damaging.

UCLA is 7-0 and plays Nevada this weekend. The Bruins should take care of that one rather easily, but it’s another game where the Ducks want the Big Ten team to come out on top.

Oklahoma State also takes on Iowa State this weekend. The Cowboys handed Oregon another one of its losses, and that one came with Moore on the field. Ducks fans will want Oklahoma State to come out on top in that matchup as well.

Oregon’s path to the playoff bubble

The math is simple for Oregon, even if the path isn’t. If the Ducks can reel off wins the rest of the way and finish 9-3, they would sit at a 41 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to the predictor.

It won’t be easy without Moore under center, especially with Ohio State on the schedule. Still, a 9-3 finish would put Oregon on the bubble with at least a shot at getting in, which is a far better place than where the Ducks stand right now.