USC and Oregon, who meet Saturday in Los Angeles (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), got off to fan-base-angst-inducing starts to the 2016 season, starts that put both of their head coaches on most-likely-to-be-fired lists.
Never mind that two of the Trojans' three losses and four of the Ducks' five losses came to currently ranked teams. These programs have created high expectations, and in the minds of many, those expectations better never be unmet.
The commonalities do not end there. Both teams' coaches rose to the head chair from the offensive coordinator seat at their current employers. And perhaps most important, they have track records that suggest they know what to do with the most important position on the field, quarterback.