Since coming to Oregon, Bo Nix has become one of the most accurate and efficient quarterbacks in the country.

Nix enters Saturday night’s (7:30 p.m., Fox) matchup with USC leading the country in completion percentage (78.1%) and fourth in passing efficiency (180.14).

That’s up from his impressive 71.9% completions for 3,593 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season, when he ranked seventh nationally in efficiency (165.65) while also rushing for 510 yards and 14 scores.

Nix has accomplished this improvement, in part, thanks to the amount of autonomy he has to check into and out of plays on the field, a level of agency he was granted by offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham last year and extended by Will Stein this season. While college quarterbacks are increasing getting more latitude to make on-field decisions, Nix’s level of command and control in Oregon’s offense is somewhat unique, in part because of his intelligence and being the most experienced quarterback in college football history.

“I’ve never been around a quarterback like Bo that understands what we’re trying to accomplish so well,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “And there’s times that we’re there as a coaching staff on the sidelines saying, ‘OK wait, wait, what is he checking to? Oh, all right. Good, that’ll work.’ And he gets it right a lot more often than not.”

Nix’s decision-making in these moments stands out on certain plays when he is checking the offense into another play, as was the case on the 18-yard touchdown pass he threw to Jordan James against Utah.

Oregon expected Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley to make a certain called based on the formation UO was in. When the Utes showed they were bringing pressure from the wide side of the field, Nix checked into a play in which James ran to the left side of the offensive line before cutting to the middle of the field, which was vacated by the blitzing linebacker.

“When they checked to a field pressure, we checked back into an angle,” Nix said. “It all happened really quickly and there was like three different things going on; the communication with the O-line and you got to tell each and everybody in their ear because it’s loud and it’s hostile.”

It was a situation Oregon prepared for during the week of practice. Oregon’s weekly behind-the-scenes video recap from the Utah game showed Lanning talking to the team about the middle of the field being a touchdown opportunity if Utah showed a specific defensive pressure.

“That happens every week,” Lanning said. “Not every time is it a touchdown. But that happens every single week for us, where he gets us into a play or our offensive staff identifies something that can get us into a play that we think is going to be successful and that’s just one example of it. …This guy’s really intelligent.”

While the Pac-12 does not have an abundance of strong pass defenses, Nix has not merely padded his statistics against poor competition. His 165.91 efficiency at Utah was the highest this season against the Utes, who lead the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed.

Nix is also the nation’s most accurate passer against Power Five teams (77.3%) and against winning teams (76%).