The No. 20 Oregon Ducks and the No. 12 USC Trojans are slated to meet up in a pivotal Big Ten collision. This matchup is one of the best games of the college football Week 4 schedule, but the Ducks still aren’t sure they’ll have tight end Jamari Johnson.
Johnson is listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury. He’s missed the last two games and will be a game-time decision for this tilt. In his absence, Oregon has gone 1-1, and with this game against the Trojans being a huge conference bout, the Ducks would love it if Johnson could take the field.
Jamari Johnson is listed as questionable for Oregon
Johnson came into the season as one of the top tight ends in the country, with some belief that he could be a first-round pick next spring. His physical traits (6-foot-5, 255 pounds) stand out, but his athleticism makes him a mismatch nightmare.
He played in the season opener against Boise State, where he had four grabs for 57 yards. Dating back to last season, Johnson has posted 32 catches for 510 yards and three scores. There was reason to believe that his production would explode in 2026, especially since Kenyon Sadiq is no longer in the tight end room.
There are more targets up for grabs, and that became clearer over the past week. Receiver Jeremiah McClellan broke his foot during pregame warmups against Portland State. Head coach Dan Lanning said his star sophomore is going to miss some time going forward.
McClellan has seven catches for 150 yards and one touchdown this year. He’s a deep threat who is going to be inactive, so potentially getting Johnson back would be a welcome addition. The Ducks dropping their Week 2 game against Oklahoma State gives them less room for error in their push toward the College Football Playoff.
In order to climb back up the rankings, they need to take care of business, and beating USC would be a nice win for their resume. Oregon has had recent success over the Trojans, as they’ve won six of the last seven games between these schools. In the Ducks’ win over USC last season, Johnson finished with three catches for 34 yards, while Sadiq had six catches for 72 yards and two scores.
Granted, this is a new defensive staff, so it will be a different scheme and system in place. That still doesn’t mean Johnson couldn’t make a big impact for this team, and his presence on the field would only improve Oregon’s offense.
USC’s defense has allowed 30-plus points in back-to-back games against Louisiana and Rutgers. The Ducks are a better team and have a more high-powered offense. There’s a good chance they are able to move the ball and put up points, but having Johnson would make them more explosive.
All eyes will be on him during pregame workouts to see if he can suit up. Lanning feels good that Johnson will be available, but time will tell if that becomes true.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
