Jayden Maiava’s first national hardware of the 2026 season is already in the bag.
The USC quarterback was named the Associated Press National Player of the Week on Wednesday after powering the No. 14 Trojans to a 42-26 win over San Jose State on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Maiava was sharp from the jump, finishing 25 of 29 for 286 yards and two touchdowns.
It was a clean, efficient opener for Maiava as he moves into his second season as USC’s full-time starter. Entering the year, he’s viewed as one of the country’s top quarterbacks and a potential Heisman Trophy contender.
That buzz is built on what he did in 2025. Maiava led the Big Ten in passing with 3,711 yards and added 24 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
He also posted one of the nation’s best QBR marks at 89.9. He topped 200 passing yards in all but one game last season, with the lone exception coming in USC’s 21-17 road win over Nebraska on Nov.
1, 2025.
The Trojans finished 2025 at 9-4 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play before falling 30-27 in overtime to TCU in the Alamo Bowl. Now ranked in the top 15 to open 2026, USC enters Lincoln Riley’s fifth season with the expectation of making the leap to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
Maiava won’t be the only Trojan drawing attention when USC returns to the Coliseum on Friday night. Freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley made an immediate impression against San Jose State, leading the Trojans with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. The former four-star receiver from Santa Margarita, California, looks like a name USC fans are going to remember.
USC is a 22.5-point favorite against Fresno State, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. It will be the seventh meeting between the programs, with the Trojans holding a 4-1 edge in the series. USC’s 2005 win over Fresno State at the Coliseum was vacated.
The Trojans and Bulldogs are set for a 6 p.m. PT kickoff Friday at the Coliseum, with FOX carrying the broadcast. USC will also be facing a familiar face on the Fresno State sideline in former assistant and linebackers coach Matt Entz.
In Other News...
USC Depth Chart Leaves One Big Question Before Fresno State
USCs updated depth chart for Fresno State brought a few encouraging signs, especially up front, where defensive linemen Jahkeem Stewart and Braylan Shelby are back after being sidelined by injuries. Freshmen still show up prominently across the board, and the latest listing included some shuffling at safety and receiver as the staff keeps sorting out where the best early-season fits are.
The bigger question is how much of that depth chart will actually translate to game reps. USC has been careful with injured players, and the new look suggests the coaches are balancing available talent with long-term caution as they head into a matchup that should help reveal how much theyre willing to lean on those returning pieces right away. [Read more 🡒]
USC Attendance Backlash Just Got A Troubling Coliseum Reality Check
USCs season-opening home date against San Jos State brought more than a routine September box score. The announced crowd of 51,114 at the Coliseum looked far different in person, with plenty of empty seats visible as fans and observers debated the turnout online and pointed to everything from the weather to general fan sentiment around the program.
Freshman receiver Ethan Feasters family saw the day up close, and his father described the conditions as extreme heat that left several fans, including his wife, dealing with heat-related issues. The backdrop only added to the noise around the attendance conversation, turning what should have been a straightforward opener into another reminder of how closely USCs home atmosphere is being watched. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Opener Put A Young Trojan At The Center Of Attention
USCs season opener at the Coliseum gave the offense a clean enough launching point, and Pro Football Focus snap-by-snap grades suggested one of the more encouraging signs came from an unexpected place. In the Trojans 42-26 win over San Jose State, Trent Mosley emerged as the highest-graded USC offensive player with a 90.7 rating, a notable mark for a young player in a game that offered a first real look at how the group would settle in.
Jayden Maiava and several other USC offensive players also drew detailed evaluations for their work in the opener, adding some early context to how the unit functioned beyond the final score. For a team trying to establish rhythm and identify dependable pieces right away, Mosleys showing gives the Trojans something to keep an eye on as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]