Rewind four months.
That's when Pac-12 media members projected USC and Oregon would meet in the conference championship game, potentially with playoff implications on the line. The Pac-12 game of the year, also between the Trojans and Ducks, fell on Nov. 21. It wasn't inconceivable to believe the conference's two most high-profile programs would play the most important games of their respective regular seasons within a matter of three weeks.
Now fast-forward to the present day. USC and Oregon are each 7-3 and nowhere near the playoff picture. Yet, Saturday's game between them is still important and can still be a preview of the conference title game.