USC’s loss to Oregon was ugly on the scoreboard, but it also gave a clear look at a freshman class that didn’t flinch under the spotlight. A few of the Trojans’ first-year players made real noise, and the biggest stage of the season brought out some of their best moments.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt was the headliner. He came out strong in the first half, when he piled up 88 receiving yards and a touchdown and looked unguardable.
He finished with 114 yards, which was the second-most in the game by either team. For USC, that kind of showing from a freshman receiver in a matchup like this is exactly the sort of sign that matters.
Tron Baker also kept building on what he has shown all season. He didn’t get a heavy target load, but he still came away with 2 catches for 27 yards and once again proved he can be a dependable option for Jayden Maiava. Baker continues to look like a freshman who can step in and make a play or two whenever the offense needs one.
Boobie Feaster had only one catch, but it was a big one. His 27-yard grab stood out as another reminder that he can create chunk plays in this offense. With no clear return date for Trent Mosley, Feaster has a path to more opportunities, even in tougher games, and Maiava clearly can trust him to deliver when the ball comes his way.
Mark Bowman had his moments too. The freshman tight end finished with 6 catches for 44 yards and showed again that he is a useful target for Maiava.
There were still mistakes late, including not getting out of bounds when the clock was running, but the connection between the two is obvious. Bowman is already giving USC something to work with, and he still looks like he is just getting started.
On defense, Luke Wafle was part of an early USC front that looked strong. He recorded a tackle for loss and finished with 2 total tackles. The sack numbers still need to come, but Wafle is already making his presence felt and looks like he is moving toward being the kind of disruptive force the Trojans want up front.
In Other News...
USCs First Real Test Exposed A Problem Trojans Fans Know Too Well
USCs first real test of the season brought the kind of reminder Trojans fans have seen before: the Coliseum can be loud, the offense can move the ball, and still the game can slip away when the pressure rises. Oregons 41-27 win in Los Angeles ended USCs 10-game home winning streak and left the Trojans with the familiar frustration of coming up short in the kind of matchup that tends to define a season.
Jayden Maiava put together a productive night, throwing for 326 yards and accounting for three touchdowns, but the late interception was the kind of mistake that can change the tone of a high-stakes conference game. Oregon had its own answer under center, with Dylan Raiola stepping in after an injury to the starter and delivering two passing touchdowns, and USC was left once again trying to sort out why its biggest tests so often expose the same old flaw. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Washington Showdown Just Got More Personal For One Trojans Starter
The No. 18 Trojans are getting ready for a primetime meeting with Washington at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and it brings back the teams first matchup since 2024. It is the kind of late-night West Coast stage USC has come to expect, with the Huskies arriving as a familiar but still dangerous opponent and Demond Williams Jr. and Dezman Roebuck lined up as the names most likely to shape the conversation on offense.
There is also a little extra edge attached to this one for one USC starter because Washington coach Kalen DeBoer has already talked publicly about former linebacker Deven Bryants move to USC. That adds a personal layer to a game that already carries plenty of intrigue, especially with the Huskies trying to sort out how to handle a Trojans defense and the Trojans knowing they will need to be sharp against a quarterback-receiver tandem that can change the feel of the night quickly. [Read more 🡒]
USC Must Rework Its Linebackers At The Worst Possible Time
USC is suddenly having to reshuffle its linebacking group after Desman Stephens II was handed a one-game suspension for a targeting hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. The timing is rough enough on its own, but it lands in the middle of a stretch where Lincoln Riley is already trying to steady the defense and sort through the aftereffects of a high-profile game.
Riley addressed the situation during a Sept. 28 media appearance, noting the need to adjust the depth chart while also pointing to the broader lessons from the Oregon game. For a defense that is still trying to find more reliable execution, losing a key piece for even one week only sharpens the urgency heading into the next round of games. [Read more 🡒]