USC’s Dynamic Duo: Makai Lemon and Bishop Fitzgerald Earn All-America Honors in Statement Seasons
In a season full of standout performances across the college football landscape, USC’s Makai Lemon and Bishop Fitzgerald rose above the rest - and the hardware proves it.
The Trojans wide receiver and safety were both named to the 2025 Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America First Team, marking the first time since 2022 that USC has had two players earn that distinction in the same season. For a program steeped in tradition and talent, that’s no small feat - and it speaks volumes about the kind of impact these two made on both sides of the ball.
Makai Lemon: A Season Worthy of the Spotlight
Let’s start with Lemon, who didn’t just play like the nation’s top receiver - he was the nation’s top receiver. The Biletnikoff Award winner became USC’s first FWAA First Team wideout since 2012 and added a long list of accolades to his résumé.
He was named the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year and earned First Team All-American honors from every major outlet: Walter Camp, AP, AFCA, Sporting News - you name it. That makes him a unanimous First Team All-American, the first Trojan to achieve that since Caleb Williams and Tuli Tuipulotu did it in 2022.
The last USC wide receiver to do it? Marqise Lee in 2012.
Lemon also racked up All-American nods from On3, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, PFF, and Pro Football Network. He dominated the All-Big Ten teams too, earning First Team recognition from the AP and Sports Info Solutions.
And the numbers? They speak for themselves.
Per Pro Football Focus, Lemon was the highest-graded wide receiver in college football, earning a 90.4 overall grade and a 91.3 receiving grade - best in the nation. He led the Power Four in receiving yards (1,156) and receiving yards per game (96.3).
He topped the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.6), yards after the catch (502), and was tied for the conference lead in receiving touchdowns (11). Lemon also finished the regular season with 19 receptions of 20+ yards - third-most in the Power Four - and tied for first nationally with 50 catches that moved the chains.
And just for good measure, he added 2 rushing touchdowns and even threw a touchdown pass. That trick-play TD against Oregon made him the first Big Ten player since 2009 to catch two touchdowns and throw one in the same game.
Lemon recorded five 100-yard games this season and has seven in his career. He’s hit double digits in receptions three times in 2025. With 137 career catches for 2,008 yards and 14 touchdowns, he already ranks 22nd on USC’s all-time receptions list - and he’s not done yet.
Bishop Fitzgerald: The Ballhawk in the Back End
While Lemon was lighting up defenses, Fitzgerald was shutting down opposing offenses. The veteran safety earned FWAA First Team honors and joined Lemon on the Walter Camp and AP First Teams, making him a consensus All-American - USC’s first at defensive back since Talanoa Hufanga in 2020.
Fitzgerald’s season was a masterclass in playmaking and instinct. Despite missing two games late in the year due to injury, he still led the Big Ten and ranked second nationally in interceptions with five - the most by a Trojan since Calen Bullock in 2022. Three of those picks came inside USC’s red zone, where his instincts and ball skills helped turn potential points into momentum-shifting takeaways.
He finished fourth on USC’s defense with 51 total tackles, including 34 solo stops. He added 2.5 tackles for loss (one of them a sack), three pass breakups, and was a disruptive presence all season long.
Fitzgerald’s performance against Michigan was one of the defining moments of USC’s season. In a game that carried major implications for the Trojans in their first year in the Big Ten, he picked off two passes - his second multi-interception game of the year - and helped USC cruise to a 31-13 win. That effort earned him Bronko Nagurski Player of the Week honors.
His All-America résumé didn’t stop with FWAA, Walter Camp, and the AP. He also earned recognition from PFF (First Team), and was named to the Second Team by the AFCA, Sporting News, On3, Sports Illustrated, and The Athletic. He was also a semifinalist for both the Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy, further cementing his status as one of the elite defensive backs in the country.
A Proud Legacy at USC
With Lemon and Fitzgerald's selections, USC now boasts 179 First Team All-Americans - a staggering number that reflects the program’s storied legacy. But this season, it wasn’t about history. It was about two players who elevated their games when it mattered most, in a new conference, under a national spotlight, with expectations sky-high.
Makai Lemon and Bishop Fitzgerald didn’t just meet the moment - they defined it.