USC heads into its Big Ten road opener with a few obvious injury questions hanging over Saturday’s trip to Rutgers.
The No. 12 Trojans are 3-0 after beating Louisiana 49-30 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and that win also pushed their home winning streak to 10 games. It marked USC’s second straight 3-0 start under Lincoln Riley, but the first conference road test comes with the Big Ten now requiring injury reports before kickoff.
Wednesday’s availability report gave the picture: several Trojans are out, with freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley the biggest name on that list. Mosley has been one of USC’s early-season standouts, piling up 13 catches for 255 yards and four touchdowns through three games. He also delivered one of the loudest moments of the season in Week 2, taking an 86-yard punt return late in the first half against Louisiana and setting off the Coliseum crowd.
Two other key defensive names remain in question. Defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart and linebacker Jadyn Walker are both listed as questionable, and USC would clearly prefer to have them available as it tries to open Big Ten play on the right foot.
Saturday’s game at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey, is the first meeting between USC and Rutgers since Oct. 25, 2024, when the Trojans won 42-20 at the Coliseum. That was during USC’s first season in the Big Ten after joining from the Pac-12 alongside Oregon, UCLA and Washington.
Rutgers comes in at 0-2 after losses to UMass and Boston College in the annual “Red Bandana” game, and the Scarlet Knights are trying to shake off the shock of that UMass defeat. They’ll get their chance to make noise against a USC team that enters as a heavy favorite.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Trojans are 23.5-point favorites. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT on CBS.
In Other News...
Rutgers Faces An SHI Stadium Warning Fans Cant Ignore
Week 2 offered a familiar snapshot of Big Ten football, with six schools either away from home or idle and the average crowd for the others landing at 64,114, or about 65% of capacity. Indiana, Iowa and Michigan were the only programs to draw full houses, while UCLAs showing at the Rose Bowl stood out for all the wrong reasons, a reminder that attendance remains a real measure of health across the league. For Rutgers, the broader numbers only sharpen an issue the program has been watching closely: interest at SHI Stadium has been slipping, and that matters well beyond the optics on a fall Saturday.
The financial side is part of the concern, since lower attendance can filter directly into revenue and leave the program trying to keep pace in a league where fan engagement is part of the baseline. TV exposure offers some cushion, but it does not erase the need for a stronger in-person draw, and Rutgers place near the bottom of Week 1 viewership only adds to the unease. As the season moves on, the Scarlet Knights will be measured not just by what happens on the field, but by whether SHI Stadium can become a tougher place to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Faces A Massive USC Swing Factor Before Kickoff
Dylan Lonergans status gives Rutgers a much-needed bit of optimism heading into kickoff against No. 12 USC. The Scarlet Knights starting quarterback is listed as probable after missing the previous game with an injury, and that alone changes the feel of a matchup that already carries plenty of weight against a ranked opponent. Rutgers can at least prepare with the expectation that its offense will have its usual leader back in the mix.
USC, meanwhile, will have to navigate the game without its leading wide receiver, Trent Mosley, who has been ruled out. Several other players on both sides are also listed with varying availability statuses, which leaves both staffs sorting through late-week uncertainty. For Rutgers, the bigger question is not just whether Lonergan suits up, but how close he is to full strength if he does. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Faces A Big Ten Reality Fans Cant Ignore
The Athletics latest look at estimated 2026 roster budgets offered a blunt reminder of where Rutgers stands financially in the Big Ten. Among 18 league programs, the Scarlet Knights were pegged in the fourth-lowest range, at $20-23 million, a figure that underscores just how wide the spending gap remains inside a conference where roster investment is increasingly tied to competitive ambition.
Rutgers sits 14th in the Big Ten in roster spending, well behind the leagues heavyweights and even more established rivals in the money race. The report also pointed back to the athletic departments current deficit, adding another layer to the challenge as the Scarlet Knights try to keep pace in a conference where the cost of staying relevant keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]