USC got a much cleaner Wednesday injury picture than it had coming out of the bye-week buildup, and that matters with Wisconsin next up on the road.
The first availability report of the week brought no new players onto the out list, while two starters on the offensive line - Elijah Paige and Hayden Treter - were cleared off it entirely. On the other side of the ball, Jahkeem Stewart and Jadyn Walker were both listed as probable.
Paige’s return is the headline. The starting left tackle missed Penn State after appearing on the final pregame report, and USC never gave a public explanation for the absence.
Still, getting him back off the report is a strong sign for the Trojans as they head into a difficult road test. True freshman Vlad Dyakonov filled in well against Penn State, but Paige back alongside Justin Tauanuu restores USC’s starting tackles and should help Jayden Maiava get better protection against Wisconsin’s pass rush.
Treter’s situation also looks better. The left guard is off the report, though that does not guarantee he reclaims his spot immediately.
Kaylon Miller stepped in and played well while Treter was out, and he could remain in the mix. Treter offers more size and power in the run game, while Miller has brought athleticism on pulls and counters.
Either way, USC’s options up front are better than they were a week ago, and the line already held up at Penn State without its usual left tackle and left guard.
On defense, Stewart’s foot issue remains something to monitor, but the expectation is that he plays through it for the rest of the season. His status carries extra weight with Jide Abasiri still questionable, since Stewart’s presence helps keep the younger defensive linemen from being pushed into more snaps than necessary. Walker being probable is another positive note.
There’s also a little more to watch in the front seven beyond the report itself. Elijah Newby is someone to keep an eye on, described as physical, athletic, and solid in coverage in Gary Patterson’s defense. That’s about his upside, not a change that has been announced to the rotation.
The questionable group still includes Mark Bowman, Luc Weaver and Abasiri. Bowman remains week-to-week, and there’s skepticism he’ll be ready for Wisconsin, though that is the writer’s opinion rather than confirmed information.
Weaver is the newest name on the report, and it is unclear whether his issue came at Penn State or during practice. With Terrell Anderson and Corey Simms already out, his status is worth watching closely in the receiver room.
Abasiri dressed and played one snap at Penn State, and he could be in line for another limited role, but nothing has been confirmed.
There were no additional players ruled out. Kendarius Reddick and Taylor Johnson remain sidelined, and while there is no confirmation that either is done for the season, both have already missed a large chunk of the year.
The defense also spent part of the day talking about what Wisconsin will bring. Alex VanSumeren, Luke Wafle, Alex Graham and Prophet Brown all spoke with reporters, with the conversation centered on the Badgers’ physicality and athleticism. Recovery came up too, after USC played seven straight games and used the bye week and its facilities to get healthier.
VanSumeren knows the Big Ten from his time at Michigan State, but this will be his first trip to Wisconsin. Former Badgers tight end Tucker Ashcraft has also been giving teammates a feel for what to expect at Camp Randall.
Another availability report is due Thursday, and Lincoln Riley is scheduled to speak with the media that day as well. The expectation is that USC will travel Friday, based on Riley’s Thursday Zoom availability and how the team handled travel in previous weeks.
For now, the first report of Wisconsin week delivered the kind of update USC needed: Paige and Treter back in the clear, Stewart and Walker probable, and no fresh losses.
In Other News...
USC Freshmen Are Suddenly Driving A Big Ten Race They Werent Supposed To
USC did not plan on leaning this much on freshmen in the thick of a Big Ten race, but that is where the Trojans suddenly find themselves after the win at Penn State. When left tackle Elijah Paige was ruled out because of injury, true freshman Vlad Dyakonov was thrust into the lineup and handled the moment well enough to help steady an offensive line facing one of the tougher road environments on the schedule. The result was a 31-23 victory that kept USC moving forward while quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns.
For Lincoln Riley, the bigger story is not just one emergency fill-in, but how the staff is managing a young group that is being asked to grow up fast. Riley addressed the development of USCs freshmen and the need to balance their workload, a tricky task when the seasons most important games keep piling up and the Trojans are still chasing control in the conference race. The production is there, the pressure is real, and USC now has to see whether these rookies can keep carrying responsibilities they were never supposed to have this soon. [Read more 🡒]
USC Passing Game Faces A Real Test As Dixon-Wyatts Role Grows
The road trip to Wisconsin brings a different kind of pressure for USCs passing game, and freshman receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is already sounding like a player who understands what is coming. The Badgers have one of the stronger defenses USC will face, and that makes timing, spacing and communication with quarterback Jayden Maiava especially important for a young receiving group trying to keep the offense moving away from home.
Dixon-Wyatt has become a bigger part of the Trojans aerial attack this season, particularly with fellow freshman Trent Mosley out. His rise has given USC another reliable option, but it has also put more of the burden on a receiver still learning on the fly. Against Wisconsin, the challenge is not just getting open, but staying synchronized with Maiava against a defense built to make that difficult. [Read more 🡒]
USC Defense Has One Road Test Fans Cant Ignore
Lincoln Riley used the bye week to point out what has looked different on USCs defense since the break, and the changes have been hard to miss. The Trojans have been adapting better as games unfold, looking healthier, and cutting down on the kinds of mistakes that had been costing them earlier in the season. A notable part of that shift has been Gary Patterson moving into the booth, a change Riley said has helped the unit settle in and play with more consistency.
Now comes a road test that will tell a lot about whether that progress travels. Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph gives USC a different kind of problem because of what he can do as a dual threat, and Riley made clear that handling that style of offense will be a major challenge. For a defense trying to prove it can play like a great one, this is the sort of matchup that can either reinforce the momentum or expose how much more work still remains. [Read more 🡒]