USC’s freshman class has wasted no time making noise, and four of those first-year Trojans have already pushed their way onto ESPN’s latest national rankings.
As No. 19 USC heads into Saturday’s trip to Penn State, ESPN’s Billy Tucker placed defensive end Luke Wafle, receivers Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley, and tight end Mark Bowman among the top 25 freshmen in the country so far. For a team off to a 5-1 start, the group’s presence has been impossible to miss.
Wafle led the way for USC at No. 4 after turning in one of his best performances yet against Washington. He picked up his first career sack in that game and helped shut down Demon Williams and the Huskies on their final offensive possession. Through six games, he is third on the Trojans defense with 22 tackles.
Dixon-Wyatt landed right behind him at No. 5.
He didn’t catch a pass on three targets against Washington, but his overall body of work has made him one of Jayden Maiava’s most trusted options. Since Mosley went down, Dixon-Wyatt has stepped into a bigger role and now leads USC with 372 receiving yards and 25 catches.
Mosley checked in at No. 12 despite missing multiple games after suffering a right-knee injury in Week 2 against Louisiana. His value has stretched beyond the passing game.
Against Louisiana, he ripped off an 86-yard punt return, and he still ranks among USC’s top scoring receivers with four touchdowns. His status for Penn State remains uncertain.
Bowman came in at No. 17 after an early-season start that showed exactly why USC wanted him on campus sooner than planned. The Trinity League product reclassified to join the Trojans early, then flashed against Louisiana with a pair of touchdowns and a moment that stood out when he hurdled two defenders.
At 6-5 and 245 pounds, he has also been a force as a blocker in both the run and pass game. He sat out against Washington after getting hurt and is also questionable for Penn State.
The timing of this surge matters. USC is about to walk into its first real road test of the season, and the staff spent Wednesday’s practice blasting crowd noise and music through the facility speakers to get ready for the environment in Happy Valley. Wafle, who was recruited by Penn State and took a visit there, already knows what that setting can feel like.
“That speaker gets loud; you can hear it across campus,” Wafle said. “It’s electric. It’s a fun atmosphere.”
The Trojans are also chasing their first College Football Playoff appearance, and Carson Palmer weighed in on the team’s young talent and the challenge ahead. The former USC quarterback and Mosley’s former high school coach at Santa Margarita spoke about the Trojans on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
“I believe in Lincoln (Riley), I believe in the team. There’s no doubt they are talented.
They’re young,” Palmer said in an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “Penn State’s beatable.
That is one of the most electric and volatile atmospheres to have to go in.”
Penn State enters as a 1.5-point favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, making this the second game this season in which USC will be the underdog.
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Penn State kept pressing, leaning into aggressive play-calling and converting multiple fourth downs, but the Trojans answered the pressure with a late defensive takeaway that sealed it. It was another tough loss for Penn State, its third straight, while USC left with a result that could carry real weight as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
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USC walked out of Beaver Stadium with a win that instantly changed the mood around Lincoln Rileys team. Beating Penn State 31-23 in front of a record crowd is the kind of result that travels well, and the Trojans earned it with a performance that looked built for September road pressure.
What stood out most was how USC handled the game after halftime, when the run defense tightened and the red-zone defense started forcing Penn State into empty trips. Riley pointed to his teams preparation, talent and mental toughness afterward, and the bigger question now is whether this was a one-night statement or the kind of road blueprint the Trojans can keep leaning on. [Read more 🡒]