Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it better: Halloween night, the din of Autzen Stadium, crisp fall temperatures and No. 10 Oregon versus No. 4 USC in arguably the Pacific-10 Conference’s biggest game of the season.

“It’s going to be crazy,” Ducks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli said. “It’s going to be one of those Autzen nights times 100.”

Oregon (6-1, 4-0) sits alone atop the conference standings with no league losses, threatening the hold the Trojans (6-1, 3-1) have had on the Pac-10 title for the past seven years.

The Ducks have won six straight games since an embarrassing 19-8 loss at Boise State in the opener. Perhaps their biggest win was a 42-3 victory over then-No. 6 California on Sept. 26 at – where else? – Autzen.

Afterward, Cal offensive lineman Mike Tepper said the noise made a difference. At Oregon, fans add to the decibels with incessant duck calls, and the stands butt up close to the playing field.

Two years ago, USC visited Autzen and left with a 24-17 loss. Quarterback Mark Sanchez, making his third start, was rattled and threw a pair of interceptions.

Current USC quarterback Matt Barkley brushed the acoustics aside this week, exclaiming: “I feed off that energy, I feed off that noise. I love it.”

USC’s freshman starter leads the Pac-10 in both pass efficiency and passing yards per game, with an average of 256.7. He’s thrown for seven touchdowns.

He’ll be facing an Oregon team ranked atop the Pac-10 in pass defense, allowing only five touchdown passes.

The Ducks aren’t bad on offense either. Masoli has passed for 905 yards and five touchdowns, with just two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 272 yards and seven TDs. Freshman running back LaMichael James is averaging 105 yards a game.

Stiffer penalties for SEC

Publicly griping about officials in the Southeastern Conference just got a lot more costly for Lane Kiffin and other league coaches.

After three SEC coaches in two weeks, including Tennessee’s Kiffin, received reprimands for ripping officials, the conference announced Friday that future punishment for similar antics will be fines and suspensions.

A memorandum was sent by the league office to every school making them aware of the change, which is effective immediately.

Commissioner Mike Slive was given full discretion by the league’s athletic directors and presidents to hand out the punishment.

Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen also have been reprimanded by the SEC office.

S. Florida upends W. Virginia

B.J. Daniels threw for 232 yards and three touchdowns, and South Florida frustrated No. 20 West Virginia, 30-19, in Tampa. The Bulls (6-2, 2-2 Big East) held Noel Devine to his lowest rushing total (42 yards) of the season. West Virginia (6-2, 2-1) lost to SFU for the third time in four years.