Lincoln Riley left the Louisiana game with a mixed bag in hand: a comeback win, a handful of young players making noise, and one more reminder that USC still has cleanup to do.
The Trojans fell behind 3-0 for the first time in 2026, then steadied themselves and took over on the way to a 49-30 win over the Ragin' Cajuns on Sept. 12.
Jayden Maiava led the offense through the air again, but the night also belonged to the freshmen, who accounted for the first four USC touchdowns. Tight end Mark Bowman had two of them.
Afterward, Riley said the slow start wasn’t ideal, but he liked the way his team answered once the game settled down.
“Little bit of an up and down win. We had some really good contributions from all three sides, especially early in the game and the early part in the third quarter. Obviously, the punt return was a huge part of the game.”
He also pointed to the stretch when Louisiana had momentum before USC grabbed it back.
“I thought we did a decent job early in the game after they had a little bit of momentum and then gaining it back midway through the third quarter.”
The penalties, though, were the issue Riley kept coming back to.
“The penalities are going to be the most alarming thing for us tonight. It was a lot and they were at horrible times. That's something we've got to lean up.”
Even in a game with plenty of offense, Riley made sure to give Louisiana its due.
“Give Louisiana credit. Their quarterback is a hell of a player.
He makes a lot of plays and covers up a lot. Those guys competed hard and are a good football team.
We're excited about the win and there's a lot to cleanup. We were excited to play a bunch of players, which we've been able to do the last three weeks.
And this is what you do it for, ahead of conference play.”
That youth movement was a big theme of his postgame comments. Riley said USC has leaned heavily on first-year players and likes what he’s seen, even if the growth curve is still steep.
“We've played a ton of young guys and I generally feel very positive.”
“But there's still a lot of growth that has to happen. Whether if it's guys playing with the first and second teams or playing down the line, we've got to keep growing.”
“My excitement is, our trajectory should be higher because of how many guys are competing and learning from their first games.”
Bowman drew specific praise after helping spark the offense.
“[Mark Bowman] made some plays for us. He got us going offensively and did some good things after the catch. He's dangerous when he's out on the open field.”
Riley also said the Trojans looked better when everything started to click together.
“We felt more connected there. That was a big goal.”
“I also thought we blocked well on the perimeter and ran hard. They meshed with the offensive line and tight ends.”
On defense, Riley said the front seven looks solid, while the secondary still needs more bodies.
“I feel really good about the defensive line and linebacker depth. And in the secondary, there's positions where I wish there were a few extra bodies.”
“Hopefully we bring more guys along because we're going to need them.”
He also noted that the energy dipped at one point before USC answered coming out of halftime.
“I thought the intensity dropped a little bit. Then we came out and had a good start to the third quarter.
That was a big point for us, start the second half fast. And then it didn't a little bit.
Again, the biggest negative on the night was penalties.”
Riley also gave an update on defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, who was close to playing against Louisiana.
“He's close, he could've played tonight. But, we told him if you go out there, we'll see if you feel absolutely perfect and even with that, he might not still play.”
“He practiced some and felt good, but it needed to be perfect. This extra week will do him go and I expect him to be a full participant at practice this week.”
In Other News...
USC May Have Found The Missing Piece In Its Passing Game
USC spent Saturday looking for answers in the passing game, and freshman tight end Walker Lyons Bowman offered a convincing one. He led the Trojans in receiving with six catches for 83 yards in the 49-30 win over Louisiana, then topped it off with his first two career touchdowns, giving USC a much-needed middle-of-the-field threat and a different kind of target for Jayden Maiava.
Bowman became the first USC tight end to score multiple touchdowns in a game since 2022, and the early production came with a caveat after he was held out in the second half following a heavy hit. Still, the performance was enough to draw praise from Lincoln Riley, who pointed to Bowmans playmaking ability, while Bowman credited the offensive line and Maiava for helping make the night happen. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Fast Start Comes With One Big Question Fans Cant Ignore
Southern Californias 49-30 win over Louisiana gave Lincoln Riley another reminder of how dangerous this offense can look when it is clicking early in the season. Jayden Maiava guided the attack efficiently, the Trojans piled up 494 yards and improved to 3-0, while Riley pointed to both the performance and the challenge of getting new pieces fully settled into the rotation.
The big-play profile was obvious throughout the afternoon, with Trent Mosley helping swing momentum as a receiver and on special teams, and Mark Bowman continuing to emerge as part of the passing game. For all the production, though, the broader question around USC is whether this fast start is showing a team that has already found its identity, or one still waiting for the pieces to truly come together. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads Into Big Ten Play With Two Growing Problems
USC closed its non-conference slate with a 49-30 win over Louisiana, and the night offered another reminder that the Trojans young talent is starting to matter. Freshmen Trent Mosley, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Mark Bowman each showed up in meaningful moments, giving USC some needed energy as it tried to clean up the edges before the schedule gets more demanding.
Even with the victory, the broader picture was less tidy. Penalties continued to linger, and the injury list grew as several players left the game with various issues, leaving Lincoln Riley and his staff with more to monitor heading into Big Ten play. The Trojans have enough offensive upside to feel good about the ceiling, but they are also walking into a tougher league with two problems that have a way of traveling. [Read more 🡒]