USC’s performance against Louisiana didn’t match the standard the Trojans had set through their first three games, but the bigger takeaway is pretty clear: the freshman wave is still driving this team, and a few names are starting to separate from the pack.
On offense, King Miller may have made the loudest statement of the week. The running back piled up 128 yards on 18 carries and looked every bit like the back USC can lean on more heavily going forward.
The power is showing up more often this season, and the burst is still there. That combination is starting to make him look like the most trustworthy option in the backfield.
Trent Mosley added another layer to his value. He caught 2 passes for 33 yards and a touchdown, then ripped off an 83-yard punt return for a score.
That kind of field-position boost changes games fast, and it’s hard to overstate how disruptive he’s becoming as a returner. Right now, he might be the most impactful player on the offense outside of the quarterback.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt also kept building his case as a major target. He has moved ahead of Tanook Hines and Terrell Anderson, and his role as the No. 2 receiver looks increasingly secure.
The confidence is growing, and so is the trust factor. When the big games arrive, USC looks ready to call his number.
Then there’s Mark Bowman, who keeps giving the Trojans more reasons to feel good about the future. The freshman tight end showed off the kind of athleticism that can tilt a game, including a play where he hurdled two defenders and turned it into a big gain. Bowman looks like a real weapon and a possible security blanket for Maiava, which is exactly the sort of development this offense can build around.
Defensively, Luke Wafle continues to rise. He led USC in tackles and is starting to look like the best edge on the defensive line. The freshman is rounding into a more complete player, and the Trojans have to like how quickly he’s catching up to the production the offense has been getting from its young talent.
Not everyone came out of the week trending up, though.
Waymond Jordan is still contributing, but King Miller’s surge makes the backfield hierarchy feel a lot clearer now. Lincoln Riley will keep both runners involved, but Jordan appears to have lost his grip on the lead role.
Tanook Hines, meanwhile, hasn’t been the featured playmaker some expected. He was projected to be USC’s next Makai Lemon, but so far he’s been more of a third option and, at times, barely a factor. His production may come later, but the younger receivers have passed him for now.
Ethan Feaster is in a similar spot. The breakout game hasn’t arrived yet, and with so many other young playmakers producing, his season may be more about growth than instant impact. That doesn’t change the long-term appeal, but the early-season spotlight has landed elsewhere.
Kam Crawford also needs more. He had 5.5 sacks last season, and the expectation was that he would take another step.
Instead, he’s been stuck at 5 sacks through the first 3 games, and some of the younger linemen have looked more dominant at times. There’s still plenty of season left, but the pace needs to pick up.
Kennedy Urlacher’s week-to-week production has been uneven as well. After a breakout game in Week 1, he managed just 1 tackle in Week 2, and the secondary as a whole slipped against Louisiana. Urlacher remains an important piece, but USC needs more consistency from him moving forward.
In Other News...
USC Should Notice This Oregon QB Problem Before The Ducks Visit
Dante Moores first start against Oklahoma State gave Oregon enough to keep moving, but it also left a few things hanging for anyone paying close attention. The quarterback finished 14 of 29 for 191 yards and two touchdowns, yet his first-half passing total was only 45 yards, the lowest of his starting career. For USC, that matters because Oregons offense is built around a quarterback who has to settle in quickly when the pressure rises, and Moore has not always looked like the kind of passer who can carry a tight game from the opening whistle.
The concern is less about one uneven night than the larger pattern around Moores first-year run as the Ducks starter. There have already been moments when he has not quite matched the level expected of him, and that leaves a real question for a trip to Los Angeles: can he make the decisive throws when Oregon needs them most? USC will have plenty to sort out on its own before the Ducks arrive, but this is the kind of quarterback issue that can shape a Big Ten showdown long before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces A Rutgers Threat Built To Keep Maiava Watching
Rutgers enters its Big Ten opener against USC with a backfield that has suddenly become a storyline of its own. The Scarlet Knights have been active in reshaping that room, including the addition of four-star running back Aiden Gibson, who flipped from Penn State to Rutgers and reclassified to the class of 2026, giving the program another intriguing piece as it continues to sort out its ground game.
For the Trojans, the challenge is less about the name on the roster and more about what Rutgers wants to do with the ball once the game starts. A running attack that can stay on schedule and drain clock is exactly the kind of approach that can keep USC quarterback Maiava on the sideline and turn an opener into a possession game, making the Scarlet Knights' ability to control the ground a central part of the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Walks Into A Much Bigger USC Test Than Expected
USCs fast start has turned the Sept. 26 home date with Oregon into one of the seasons hottest tickets, with the school announcing the game is sold out. A 3-0 beginning has helped lift interest around the program, and the buzz has been fueled by quarterback Jayden Maiavas strong play and a wave of freshmen stepping into meaningful roles early in the year.
The matchup now carries a little more intrigue than the rankings might suggest, since Oregon is listed as a 1.5-point favorite even with USC sitting higher in the AP Poll. Both teams are expected to take care of business in the immediate lead-up, which only adds to the sense that this one could say a lot about where the Trojans really stand when a top opponent shows up in the Coliseum. [Read more 🡒]