After a decade-long drought without an NCAA Tournament bid, USC baseball is on the verge of making it two straight appearances. The Trojans took a huge step forward Thursday night with a dominant road victory over Oregon, and now they have just two regular-season games left before heading to the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha next week.

USC is sitting pretty in the latest projections. USA TODAY's updated bracket slots the Trojans as the No. 20 overall seed, which would make them a No. 2 seed in the Oxford Regional. That region is headlined by top seed and host Ole Miss (No. 13 overall), with No. 3 seed East Carolina and No. 4 seed Southeastern Louisiana rounding out the field.

The key number to watch: 16. That's the cutoff for hosting a regional, and USC is just four spots away. Given how much stronger the Trojans have been at home this season—where they've consistently played their best baseball—climbing into a host spot could be a game-changer for their postseason hopes.

With strong finishes against Oregon and a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament, USC has a real shot at cracking that top 16. For a program that went ten years without hearing its name called on Selection Sunday, back-to-back bids would be a statement. And if they can secure a home regional? That could be the springboard for a deep tournament run.