USC’s final tune-up before Louisiana came with more than just the usual late-week buzz. The Trojans went through practice Wednesday in triple-digit heat, then cooled off in the air-conditioned Bloom Center to speak with the media ahead of Saturday night’s 8:00 p.m. PDT matchup at the Coliseum on Big Ten Network.
On the defensive side, Kennedy Urlacher, Jide Abasiri, Luke Wafle and Deven Bryant handled the questions, while Tobias Raymond represented the offense. The focus kept coming back to Louisiana quarterback Lunch Winfield, a runner USC will have to account for in a very different way than it has so far in 2026. Winfield’s mobility was a major talking point, and Urlacher, Bryant and Wafle all stressed patience and proper technique as the key to slowing him down.
Wafle’s first media session as a Trojan covered plenty of ground beyond the matchup. He talked about how growing up in a competitive family helped build the discipline that has fueled his fast start in college. He also revealed his first sports love was not football, and touched on Gary Patterson, the adjustment to the college game and his ongoing ping pong battle with freshman teammate Trent Mosley.
Raymond, meanwhile, walked through the technical details behind his development at center from USC’s first game to its second. He also pointed to a problem the Trojans have run into at times: their physical style can occasionally tip from helpful into too much of a good thing for the run game. Raymond stayed out of the ping pong discussion, though he did acknowledge that some players have taken the post-practice competition seriously.
By the end of the day, USC sounded like a team that knows exactly what Saturday demands: contain Winfield’s rushing threat and get its own ground game moving.
In Other News...
USC's Most Recognizable Tradition Takes More Work Than Fans Realize
Traveler XI is getting ready for another season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and the famous USC entrance that fans know so well depends on far more than showmanship. Joanne Asman, who has cared for the Trojan horses for 24 years, spends months building trust and teaching each animal how to handle the noise, movement and unpredictability that come with game day. It is a behind-the-scenes routine that turns one of college footballs most recognizable traditions into a carefully managed piece of pageantry.
The Traveler program is sustained by an endowment from the Tilley family and relies on multiple horses who take part in different appearances and events, not just the Saturday spotlight. For USC, that means the tradition is both a symbol and a responsibility, with every new horse needing time, patience and the right kind of preparation before it can step into such a visible role. The payoff is the same iconic scene, even if the work to get there is anything but simple. [Read more 🡒]
Gary Patterson Has USC Defenders Believing In Something Different
Gary Pattersons arrival has given USCs defense a different kind of edge, one that linebacker Deven Bryant said starts with how the new defensive coordinator leads and communicates. For a unit trying to settle into a new standard, that kind of clarity matters, and Bryant pointed to the way Patterson has helped the Trojans feel more connected to what they are doing on every snap.
As USC gets ready for Louisiana, the focus is as much on cohesion as it is on talent. Bryant emphasized how important it is for everyone on the defense to understand their roles and trust the structure around them, a sign the Trojans believe their best football will come from collective buy-in rather than individual effort alone. [Read more 🡒]
USC Suddenly Has Real Competition Brewing Before Louisiana
USC is getting healthier at just the right time, with Lincoln Riley saying several players have a chance to be available for the Louisiana game. Tucker Ashcraft, Jahkeem Stewart, Peyton Dyer and Marquis Gallegos are all in the mix, and wide receiver Terrell Anderson is close enough to participation that the staff can start planning for him in the near future.
The depth chart is already beginning to reflect the competition behind the scenes, with Gallegos listed alongside Madden Riordan at safety and veteran edge rusher Braylan Shelby sliding behind freshman Luke Wafle. For a team trying to sort out roles early in the season, those are the kinds of changes that can matter just as much as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]