Jayden Maiava’s bounce-back against Ohio State was about more than just the stat line. The USC senior quarterback finished 15 of 22 for 222 yards and a touchdown in the No.
20 Trojans’ upset of No. 12 Ohio State in Week 9, and after practice on Nov. 3, he made it clear the win was built on a group effort from start to finish.
Maiava pointed first to the people around him, from the coaching staff to the skill players and the offensive line. He described the game plan as “a pretty cool game plan,” and credited Coach [Lincoln Riley], Coach [Luke Huard], Coach [Zach Hanson] and a long list of teammates for helping USC “execute one play at a time.”
He also leaned into how the Trojans were able to lean on explosive plays and the ground game. USC had seven plays of at least 15 yards, including Mark Bowman’s 70-yard burst that set up a score in the third quarter and Trent Mosley’s 69-yard touchdown on the second play of the game. On the ground, Waymond Jordan and King Miller combined for 25 carries, 126 yards and two touchdowns.
“Yeah, it was a pretty good look into running the play. I think even just getting the ball into Trent’s hand, good things happen,” Maiava said about Mosley’s impact on the game.
Mosley and Bowman were USC’s top two pass catchers in the win. Mosley hauled in five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, while Bowman finished with three receptions for 79 yards.
“Yeah, I mean it’s pretty special. They’re the reason why we got that win, for sure,” Maiava said about Mosley and Bowman’s big play-making ability.
Maiava also described the closing moments, when the Trojans sealed the upset and the field was flooded. He said that after the final kneel-down, teammates surrounded him, and he briefly headed toward the locker room before returning to the field to make sure everyone was okay. He also said he saw Trumain Carroll and celebrated with him before going back down to join the rest of the team.
“It was pretty special. I got to see my family out there too,” Maiava said about the fans storming the field.
“Took a minute, but yeah, it was a great moment for the team. We’re excited for the next one.”
The quarterback also highlighted the leadership he sees across the roster, naming veterans on both sides of the ball and stressing how they help USC stay locked into its daily standard.
“When you got such great leaders like Alex VanSumeren, [Desman Stephens II] on the defensive side of the ball, [Jide Abasiri]. Even guys on the offensive side of the ball like [Kilian O’Conner], Tobias Raymond, those guys just continue to choke out any margin of error that might not help the Trojans go 1-0 each and every day,” Maiava said about the Trojans’ veteran leadership.
He singled out O’Conner for the role he plays behind the scenes, saying he “brings his identity to this team” and sets the tone with “The physicality and the mentality that we all bring every single day.” Maiava added that the team is inspired by O’Conner’s energy whether he is on the field or not.
The quarterback also praised the younger linemen for how they’ve handled their opportunities. He mentioned Vlad Dyakonov and Kannon Smith, saying Smith “played his butt off” and had “a really good game,” while also crediting Hanson for preparing the group and O’Conner for being part of that process.
Dyakonov had already been thrown into a major spot in Week 6 against Penn State, when he learned moments before kickoff that he would be starting. In Week 9, Smith was moved up to left guard. The line gave up just one sack in the upset win.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Smith Just Got A Huge Heisman Opening For Ohio State
Jeremiah Smith has spent this season looking every bit like the kind of receiver who can tilt the Heisman conversation, and the numbers back it up. He has 62 catches for 1,067 yards and 13 touchdowns, production that places him among the nations leaders in all three categories and has made him a central reason Ohio States offense has stayed so dangerous.
Now the path in front of Smith may be a little clearer after Miami receiver Malachi Toney suffered a high ankle sprain that required surgery and will keep him out for the rest of the regular season. For Ohio State, the development matters because Smith remains one of the Buckeyes most important weapons as they try to lock down a College Football Playoff spot, and any shift in the national award race only adds more attention to what he does next. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Oregon Matchup Just Got Complicated By Key Injury Changes
The build-up to Ohio States matchup with Oregon has taken on a different look after injuries started reshaping both sides of the field. The Buckeyes and Ducks were already bracing for a high-stakes game, but the latest injury updates have added another layer of uncertainty, with both teams now having to adjust their plans around key personnel changes before kickoff.
For Oregon, the biggest immediate concern is the status of running back Jordon Davison, who is expected to be out week-to-week with a lower-extremity injury. There is at least some encouraging news on the other side of the ball, with wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan probable to return from a foot injury, but the larger question remains how both teams will handle the ripple effects if the quarterback situation shifts again by game day. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Big Ten Path Now Comes Down To Tiebreaker Chaos
Ohio States Big Ten title path is still alive, but it has turned into the kind of standings puzzle that can make a November scoreboard-watcher reach for a calculator. The Buckeyes sit third in the conference, yet they remain in the mix for the championship game if they finish strong and get help from around the league, with the race tightening enough that a three-way tie could become part of the equation.
What makes it messy is how quickly the picture can shift from week to week. A tie involving Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA would send the league into a tiebreaker process built on common opponents and conference winning percentage, and the Buckeyes can still survive one more loss if the right results break their way elsewhere. Lose twice, though, and the margin for error shrinks to the point where Ohio State would need a lot of outside help just to stay in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]