USC’s offense got a new jolt in Week 2, and the biggest spark came from a true freshman tight end who looked anything but tentative against Louisiana.
Mark Bowman had spent the first two games doing plenty of the dirty work. With a limited fall camp behind him, he was leaned on more as a blocker than a pass-catcher, and through those opening games he totaled six receptions for 45 yards while helping fuel the Trojans’ 304 rushing yards as a team. But against the Ragin’ Cajuns, Lincoln Riley let him loose.
Bowman answered with six catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He still mattered as a blocker too, as USC ran for 214 yards and used that ground success to open things up in the play-action game, where Bowman did most of his damage. The outing earned him Big Ten Freshman Player of the Week, and now it has added another layer of recognition.
After Pro Football Focus released its data through Week 2, Bowman stood out as the highest-graded offensive true freshman at 90.3. That number ranked second in the Power Four and first among Big Ten tight ends. His receiving grade was even better at 90.8, which checked in third in the Power Four and first among Big Ten tight ends.
Bowman also topped all Big Ten receivers in several key areas from the game. His six receptions and 83 receiving yards were both No. 1, his five first downs led the week, and his two touchdowns were tied for first. He finished with 4.15 yards per route run, good for No. 3 overall.
USC already had another freshman making noise before Bowman’s breakout. Wide receiver Trent Mosley still holds the top true-freshman grade on the roster at 90.7. He also landed on PFF’s Team of the Week and was named its Offensive Player of the Week after Week 0, when he caught seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown, added 56 punt-return yards on two returns, and averaged 5.36 yards per route run.
The Trojans’ Week 2 success wasn’t limited to Bowman. Left tackle Elijah Paige posted the team’s highest grade at 90.6.
In 68 snaps, PFF credited him with zero individual pressures allowed, and that performance earned him a spot on PFF’s College Football Week 2 Team of the Week. Left guard Hayden Treter also made the weekly team after grading at 85.6 across 34 snaps.
As a unit, the offensive line took home PFF’s Offensive Line of the Week award.
On the other side of the ball, fellow true freshman Luke Wafle continued to stack up production. He finished with seven total tackles and one tackle for loss, while posting the fourth-highest grade on the team at 85.0 over 30 snaps. Among Big Ten edge rushers, that ranked No. 6 in snaps played, and his 83.6 run-defense grade was No. 3 overall.
If there was one snap that captured Bowman’s impact, it came on USC’s third offensive series. Facing second-and-10 at the Trojans’ own 41-yard line, Jayden Maiava pulled the ball on a fake handoff and hit Bowman downfield for 35 yards. Bowman then hurdled two Louisiana defenders to finish the play and set up the scoring drive.
At 6-5 and 245 pounds, Bowman’s ability to clear two defenders turned heads. It also stood out because he should be a senior in high school right now. Instead, he skipped his final year at Mater Dei and arrived at USC in the spring.
Now the freshman heads into Week 3 with momentum, as the Trojans open conference play on the road against Rutgers on Sept. 19.
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USC Walks Into A Road Game That Could Get Awkward Fast
Rutgers is already in an uncomfortable spot before USC ever takes the field in this one. The Scarlet Knights have opened the season with back-to-back heavy losses, including a home defeat to UMass and another setback against Boston College, and the tone around the program has turned quickly as questions start to follow Greg Schiano into the week.
USC, meanwhile, walks into a road game where the opponents mood may be as much a factor as the matchup itself. The Trojans are getting Rutgers at a time when the Scarlet Knights are trying to steady a season that has already gone sideways, and if the noise around Schiano keeps building, this could become one of those trips where the football and the larger tension around the program are impossible to separate. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads To Rutgers With A New Receiver Concern
USCs trip to Rutgers picked up a little more uncertainty when true freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley landed on the injury list and was ruled out for the game because of a knee ailment. Mosley has been part of the group the Trojans have leaned on for depth, and his absence comes at a point where the offense is trying to keep its receiver rotation steady heading into another road test.
Lincoln Riley said the timeline is still unclear, though the expectation is that it should not turn into a long-term issue. In the meantime, USC is looking at other options to absorb the snaps and production, with Zacharyus Williams and Terrell Anderson among the receivers who could be asked to take on more of the load. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fans Got The Jayden Maiava Shoulder Answer They Needed
Jayden Maiava gave USC plenty to feel good about in its win over Louisiana, piling up a career-high five touchdowns while also putting an end to the shoulder chatter that had lingered around him. The senior quarterback said he is healthy, and the way he played looked every bit like a passer operating without restriction, with freshman tight end Mark Bowman emerging as a major part of the offense with six catches and two scores.
For a Trojans team trying to build momentum, the timing mattered as much as the numbers. Maiava also spoke about getting ready for Rutgers and reflected on how far he has come over three seasons at Southern Cal, which adds another layer to a performance that was already important for the scoreboard and the injury conversation alike. [Read more 🡒]