No. 16 USC heads into its road matchup with Wisconsin coming out of its first bye week with a better look on the health front, and a few important names trending the right way.
The biggest boost comes up front. Left tackle Elijah Paige, who was a late add to the injury report before the Oct. 10 game against Penn State and then sat out, appears set to return.
USC had to lean on true freshman Vlad Dyakonov in that spot, and he responded with his first career start. Now Paige’s return gives the Trojans a major lift at one of the most important spots on the field.
USC is also expected to get left guard Hayden Treter back. He has been out since leaving with a first-half injury against Oregon on Sept. 26, and Kaylon Miller has filled in since then. With both Paige and Treter available again, the Trojans’ offensive line could look a lot closer to full strength.
At tight end, Mark Bowman remains a question mark. He has missed the last two games and is questionable for Saturday against the Badgers.
If he plays, USC gets a versatile piece who changes both the run and pass game. The five-star freshman has been used all over Lincoln Riley’s offense, and his blocking has stood out in particular.
In that area, he has looked like a veteran. If Bowman can’t go, Tucker Ashcraft, the Wisconsin transfer, would get the start, with Nela Tupou, Carson Tabarraci and Walter Matthews behind him.
The Trojans also have some movement at receiver. Corey Simms and Terrell Anderson are out for the season, but freshman Trent Mosley returned against Penn State after missing three games.
He was a true game-time decision and looked like the same player who drew national attention earlier in the season. Another freshman, Luc Weaver, got his first meaningful action against Penn State because of the injuries around him, and he is questionable this week.
On defense, Jahkeem Stewart remains on the report but is probable. The defensive lineman missed the first four games while dealing with the same foot injury that bothered him last season. USC is expected to keep monitoring that foot throughout the year, though he is not being handled on the same snap count as he was a year ago.
Jide Abasiri is also questionable after playing only one snap against Penn State. He picked up a lower body injury on the final drive against Washington on Oct. 3 and is second on the team in tackles for loss. If he is unavailable, freshmen Jaimeon Winfield and Tomuhini Topui should keep seeing an expanded role.
Linebacker Jadyn Walker is probable for Saturday. He has been a key reserve behind Desman Stephens and Deven Bryant, while Ta'Mere Robinson and Elijah Newby have also filled important reserve roles this season.
In Other News...
USC Defense Just Got A Boost It Desperately Needed
Elijah Newbys return gives USC a timely lift at a spot where the Trojans could use all the help they can get. The linebacker came back from a knee injury that was originally feared to be season-ending, and while his on-field production this year has been modest, his value has never been measured only in tackles or snaps.
Lincoln Riley has pointed to Newbys presence as something the team feels beyond the box score, especially on defense and special teams. For a USC group heading into the next stretch of games, getting that kind of energy and leadership back on the field matters almost as much as the physical boost, even if the full impact of his return is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Jide Abasiri Took An Unusual Path To NFL Buzz
Jide Abasiris rise has not followed the usual recruiting script. He started playing football in secret as a freshman in high school, even though his parents were initially opposed, and the route he took from there has been shaped as much by wrestling as by football. The combination helped him build the athleticism and discipline that now show up in his game, turning what began as a hidden decision into a legitimate launch point for his future.
Now a junior at USC, Abasiri has moved from an unlikely beginning to real NFL buzz, with early draft attention already circling him for 2027. For the Trojans, that kind of trajectory matters because it speaks to both his ceiling and his development, and it also adds another layer to a player whose path to prominence was anything but conventional. [Read more 🡒]
USC Offense Faces One Mistake It Can't Afford Against Wisconsin
Wisconsins defense left a solid impression in its recent game against UCLA, limiting the Bruins to 17 points even with a backup quarterback in the lineup. For USC, that kind of performance is the reminder that this weekend is not just about matching up talent-for-talent, but about taking care of the ball and avoiding the kind of mistake that can tilt a game against a disciplined opponent.
The Badgers have enough on that side of the ball to make life difficult if USC gets loose with possession or tries to force plays that are not there. Against a defense that can stay organized and capitalize on errors, the Trojans will need cleaner execution than usual, because one turnover or one bad decision could be the difference in a game that already looks like it will demand patience and precision. [Read more 🡒]