No. 12 USC is walking into Saturday’s Big Ten clash with Oregon already juggling a long injury list, and the Trojans’ depth is about to get tested in a hurry.
The biggest hit comes at receiver. Jayden Maiava will be without Trent Mosley and Corey Simms, two of his starting targets.
Mosley went down with a knee injury against Louisiana in Week 2 and is expected to miss an extended stretch. Simms hurt his knee after taking a low hit against Rutgers last Saturday, is officially out for Oregon, and early reports out of USC suggest the sophomore may be finished for the season.
That leaves USC leaning harder on the rest of its receiving group. True freshman Kayden Dixon-Wyatt has already emerged as a reliable option, and his chemistry with Maiava has grown with every live rep.
Tanook Hines is another name to watch. He had his breakout moment against Oregon in Eugene last season, finishing with six catches for 143 yards and a touchdown, though this year has started slowly after he lost his starting job.
Terrell Anderson remains the wild card. The NC State transfer was supposed to be a major piece of the offense, but a fall camp injury kept him out of the first two games.
He logged just four offensive snaps against Louisiana and none against Rutgers.
USC will need more from that group because Hines and Anderson entered the season as the roster’s most productive receivers. Zacharyus Williams, along with freshmen Tron Baker and Boobie Feaster, are also expected to be heavily involved against the Ducks.
The Trojans may also be short-handed in the backfield. Freshman running back Deshonne Redeaux is listed as questionable after missing the Louisiana game and traveling to Rutgers.
He went through pregame warmups with a brace on his left knee but did not play. Meanwhile, King Miller has taken over as the starter ahead of Waymond Jordan, and Riley Wormley is making a push for the No. 2 role after a strong second-half showing that earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
On defense, sophomore lineman Jahkeem Stewart still hasn’t suited up this season. He’s listed as questionable, but it would be a surprise if he makes his debut against Oregon. Stewart added to the intrigue by posting on his Instagram story the day of the game: "Thank you God in advance for letting me play the sport I love again your timing is the best timing and it's the only timing," Stewart posted onto his Instagram story the day of the Oregon game.
Nickel Alex Graham is another concern after getting hurt in the first half against Rutgers and spending the entire second half on the sideline with his helmet on. He is also questionable, though his status points more toward a likely absence.
If he can’t go, Kennedy Urlacher would get the start. Urlacher has been strong coming downhill but has struggled in coverage, while Isaiah Rubin is next in line and has had his own issues in mop-up duty.
USC did get some better news in the secondary. Cornerback Jontez Williams missed almost all of the second half against Rutgers with an injury, and freshman Rock Hill also received brief treatment in that game, but neither player is on the injury report for Oregon.
At linebacker, Jadyn Walker was injured against Louisiana, traveled to Rutgers, warmed up before the game and still didn’t play. Elijah Newby is listed as probable and appears set to make his season debut, giving USC a bit more depth at the position.
The Trojans also have one more body back in the mix. Freshman Madden Riordan is off the injury report after missing Rutgers, and that helps restore some depth at safety behind Christian Pierce and Prophet Brown.
In Other News...
USC Injury Trouble Could Reshape Oregons Biggest Test Yet
USCs unbeaten start has turned this weekends matchup with Oregon into one of the early seasons more consequential games, and it comes with plenty of uncertainty attached. The No. 12 Trojans are 4-0 and set to host the No. 20 Ducks at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, with playoff implications already hanging over a meeting that kicks off at 4:30 p.m. PT and airs on NBC.
Oregon enters as a slight favorite, but the bigger question for USC is availability. The Trojans may be without wide receiver Corey Simms and freshman Trent Mosley, injuries that could affect how Jayden Maiava and the offense attack a Ducks team led by Dante Moore at quarterback. For Oregon, it is a chance to test itself on a big stage against a ranked opponent that may not be at full strength, and the roster news could wind up mattering as much as the on-field matchup. [Read more 🡒]
USC Is Hiding A Coliseum Twist Before Oregon Arrives
USC has left one small but notable piece of theater hanging as Oregon prepares to visit the Coliseum: the Trojans have not yet announced who will serve as tunnel captain for the game. It is the kind of detail that usually gets buried under the football itself, but at USC it carries a little extra weight, especially with two familiar names sitting in the conversation in Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll.
Bush, the former Heisman Trophy winner, and Carroll, the coach most closely associated with USCs modern peak, both have deep ties to the program and plenty of appeal in a setting like this. The delay has only fueled the guessing game for a matchup that already has enough energy around it, and the answer will say something about how USC wants to frame the night before Oregon ever takes the field. [Read more 🡒]
Dante Moore Faces A Huge Oregon Test In Familiar Territory
Dante Moores path to this point has taken a sharp turn since his difficult 2023 season at UCLA, where he lost the starting quarterback job before transferring to Oregon. Now settling in with the Ducks in 2024, he has become an important part of a team with playoff ambitions, and the matchup with USC brings an added layer of familiarity to a game with real stakes for Oregons season.
Moore has put together strong statistical production this fall, but the bigger test has been the one that does not show up in the box score. Oregon has wanted him to grow as a leader and communicator on the field, and a win in this spot would say plenty about how far he has come while giving the Ducks a major boost in the playoff chase. [Read more 🡒]