USC tight end Mark Bowman picked up Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after a breakout day in the Trojans’ 49-30 win over Louisiana on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
It’s the first weekly Big Ten award of Bowman’s USC career, and it came with a stat line that stood out even in a game loaded with offense. He finished with six catches for 83 yards, good for 13.8 yards per reception, and he found the end zone twice for the first two touchdowns of his Trojan career.
The yardage total was especially notable. Bowman’s 83 receiving yards are the most by a USC tight end in a single game since Anthony McCoy had 153 against Notre Dame in 2009.
His second score also came with some flair. With one minute left in the first quarter, Bowman caught a pass from quarterback Jayden Maiava in the middle of the field, turned upfield and hurdled two Louisiana defenders in one jump. He stayed upright, kept rolling and added nine more yards to finish off a 35-yard gain that carried USC from its own 41-yard line to the Louisiana 24.
Bowman’s production was backed up by the numbers at Pro Football Focus, where he posted a 90.3 offense grade, second in the Power Four and first among Big Ten tight ends, along with a 90.8 receiving grade, third in the Power Four and first among Big Ten tight ends. He was also named to the PFF Week 2 Big Ten Team of the Week.
The last USC tight end to score two touchdowns in a game was Josh Falo on Oct. 15, 2022, in a 42-43 loss to Utah. Bowman’s performance also extended a run of freshman scoring, making it the second straight week that a Trojans freshman had scored two receiving touchdowns in a single game.
No. 12 USC now turns to Big Ten Conference play with a trip to Rutgers.
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT (3:30 p.m.
ET) on Saturday, Sept. 19, and the game will air live on CBS.
In Other News...
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 🡒]