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Swanson: USC didn't just lose to Oregon. Lincoln Riley fumbled away the Trojans' integrity.

USC suffered a 41-27 defeat against Oregon on Saturday at the Coliseum, compounded by controversy surrounding linebacker Desman Stephens II. Stephens was ejected for targeting Ducks quarterback Dante Moore, who suffered a serious injury on the play and required transport to Los Angeles General County Hospital via ambulance.

Following his ejection, Stephens remained on the sideline wearing his jersey, where television broadcasts captured him celebrating and interacting with teammates.

Head coach Lincoln Riley stated after the contest that he failed to notice either Stephens celebrating the hit or his subsequent behavior on the sideline, defending the player's presence by noting he belongs to the team. During the matchup, the Trojans defense surrendered 504 total yards, while a late fourth-down conversion attempt failed on analytics recommendations before Oregon secured the final margin.

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