No. 14 USC gets a second straight home test Friday night when Fresno State comes to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. PT on FOX.
The Trojans are already 1-0 after beating San Jose State 42-26, and they’ll try to keep rolling against a Fresno State team opening its 2026 season. Matt Entz leads the Bulldogs into his second year, and the former USC assistant and linebackers coach knows exactly who’s waiting on the other sideline. Fresno State is also beginning its first season in the Pac-12 after finishing 9-4 in 2025.
Even with Fresno State listed as a 22.5-point underdog by DraftKings Sportsbook, this matchup carries enough intrigue to make USC prove it can handle business again. The Trojans are chasing their fifth straight win in the all-time series, and the formula is pretty clear: start fast, keep pressure on, and let the offense set the tone.
That first part matters most because Lincoln Riley’s group looked sharp right out of the gate against San Jose State. USC scored on its opening drive in that game, and that’s the kind of early punch the Trojans want again. Jayden Maiava set the tone in the opener, throwing for 286 yards and two touchdowns while completing 25 of 29 passes.
One of the biggest bright spots was freshman receiver Trent Mosley, who wasted no time making himself known. He led USC with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown against the Spartans, and another quick start from him would give the Trojans another dangerous layer on offense.
On the other side, Gary Patterson’s defense is facing another first-time starting quarterback. Fresno State will debut Jayden Mandal after he won a fall camp battle with Khristian Martin, and the Trojans need to make that debut as uncomfortable as possible. If USC can generate pressure and disrupt the Bulldogs on up-tempo drives, it should give the offense more chances to play from ahead.
That defensive test is familiar after last week, when USC handled Luke Weaver early before he settled in and finished with 234 yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-32 passing. Patterson’s unit won’t want a repeat of that second-half rhythm.
And then there’s the run game, which could be the piece that really ties this thing together for USC. Riley may finally have the kind of backfield pairing he’s been waiting for with King Miller and Waymond Jordan, and both backs are positioned to be major factors all season. Miller led the Trojans on the ground against San Jose State with 15 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown, while freshman Riley Wormley also scored.
If USC leans into that ground attack again, it could control the game and put itself in position to keep Fresno State at arm’s length. That’s the path to another win, and it would not be a surprise if both Miller and Jordan find the end zone in a Trojans victory.
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USC Has A Freshman Turning Heads As Young Defenders Step Up
Trent Mosley wasted no time making his presence felt, and for USC that has been one of the brighter early developments of the season. The freshman receiver opened his college career with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown against San Jose State, then followed it up with another strong outing the next game, adding multiple touchdowns and drawing notice from teammates and coaches alike.
Mosleys emergence has helped soften some of the attention on a defense that has also been getting useful early contributions from young players. Nickel Kennedy Urlacher, Alex Graham and Jide Abasiri have each shown up in recent games, giving USC signs that some of its younger defenders are beginning to settle in and play meaningful snaps when the Trojans need them most. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Rout Put New Draft Attention On More Than One Trojan
USCs blowout of Fresno State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew more than attention from the scoreboard. NFL scouts from five franchises were in the building, turning a September game into another reminder that the Trojans are still a weekly stop on the pro personnel circuit. With former USC names already scattered across the league, the presence of those evaluators added a little extra weight to a rout that otherwise could have been just another easy win.
The most visible reasons were on the field. Quarterback Jayden Maiava continued to give scouts a look at how he handles an offense under little pressure, while defensive players Jide Abasiri and Kennedy Urlacher also stood out in the kind of game where evaluators are often looking for who keeps competing after the outcome is settled. For USC, the broader takeaway is familiar: when the Trojans play well, the NFL tends to show up, and not just for the obvious headliners. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshman Is Giving Lincoln Riley A New Receiver Problem
USCs 2-0 start has already included a welcome bonus for Lincoln Riley: a freshman receiver who looks ready for more than a depth-chart cameo. Trent Mosley has been one of the early bright spots for the Trojans, making his presence felt right away with key catches, yardage, and touchdowns that have helped him stand out in the opening weeks of the season.
For Riley, that kind of emergence creates the sort of good problem coaches like to have and opponents hate to solve. Mosleys production has quickly raised expectations for what he can mean in the offense moving forward, and it also adds another layer to a USC passing game that already had enough weapons to keep defenses busy. [Read more 🡒]