USC is counting on a decimated running back unit to keep overachieving against Oregon

USC running back King Miller carries the ball while evading Northwestern players at Coliseum on Nov. 7.Last month, in the span of a single half, USC’s top two running backs were lost to serious injuries. For Eli Sanders, the knee injury he suffered against Michigan prematurely ended his season. For Waymond Jordan, ankle surgery meant missing most of the Trojans’ critical stretch run.

For USC, it made for a particularly cruel one-two punch. Through the season’s first six games, the Trojan duo had been a top 10 rushing attack in the nation, trending toward the best rushing season USC had seen in two decades. Then, in less than an hour’s time, a promising start had instantly been derailed by…