Even in a game that showcased USC’s depth at receiver, the biggest eye-opener came from the smallest stage-stealer. True freshman Trent Mosley wasted no time making his presence felt in Saturday’s 42-26 win over San José State, turning seven catches into 118 yards and becoming the first USC freshman to top 100 receiving yards in a college debut since Juju Smith-Schuster in 2014.
For Lincoln Riley, though, none of it felt out of the blue.
“He does what he does in practice,” Riley told reporters after the game. “I don’t think anybody here is very surprised. He’s a consistent player and explosive player.”
USC needed that kind of immediate impact because Tanook Hines did not play Saturday. He was on the sideline in his jersey and sweatpants, high-fiving teammates during warm-ups, after Riley had described him as a game-time decision during the week.
The Trojans were also without defensive end Braylan Shelby, defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart and receiver Terrell Anderson. With Anderson, a junior NC State transfer, unavailable, USC leaned on a wave of underclassmen at wideout alongside Mosley, who prepped at Santa Margarita.
That youth showed up across the stat sheet. Sophomore Corey Simms finished as the third-leading receiver with four catches for 42 yards.
Freshman Tron Baker, a Sierra Canyon product, added four receptions for 45 yards and ranked second on the team in receiving yards. Mater Dei alumnus Kayden Dixon-Wyatt chipped in 36 yards on four catches.
“We put in the work all offseason,” quarterback Jayden Maiava said after the game. “Had a lot of really good reps, really good camp for those guys. And I think we put it on display today.”
USC also made a notable shift in leadership by naming permanent captains for the season: offensive linemen Tobias Raymond and Kilian O’Connor, defensive linemen Alex VanSumeren and Maiava.
That’s a different approach from last season, when the Trojans rotated captains weekly. O’Connor’s selection carries extra weight because the redshirt senior will not play this season after suffering a knee injury during fall training camp.
Riley made clear in camp how much O’Connor means to the program.
“If he decides to do it, he’d certainly be a hell of a coach,” Riley said during fall camp. “There’s no question about that.
“We are in the process of tailoring a pretty specific role for him for this team now because he’s certainly still absolutely one of the leaders on this team and a big presence within the program.”
O’Connor was around the team throughout warm-ups, helping however he could while on crutches, from offering encouragement to adjusting helmets. He was also at the 50-yard line for the coin toss and handled communication with officials.
USC also has a new look on the field this season. The Progressive Insurance logo has been added to all four corners of the sidelines at United Airlines Field at the Coliseum, sitting next to the iTrustCapital logo.
Progressive previously announced a field logo sponsorship for 13 schools, including USC, and reports have said the deal is expected to run multiple years. The Trojans’ version is relatively understated compared with some other sites, such as Ole Miss, where the branding sits near the hash marks, and Boise State, where it appears below the mascot painted at midfield.
In Other News...
USCs Ticket Surprise Raises An Uncomfortable Question About Fan Interest
USCs season opener against San Jos State came with an eye-opening wrinkle before a snap was even played: tickets on reseller sites had fallen to as low as $9. For a program with the Trojans history and expectations, that kind of bargain-basement pricing says as much about the market as it does about the matchup, with opponent profile, weather and the typical churn of late buyer behavior all shaping what fans are willing to pay.
The Coliseums new fan experience upgrades are part of the backdrop too, as USC continues trying to make home games feel like an event even when the opponent does not create much natural urgency. The more revealing test may come later, when ranked teams arrive and national attention can push prices in the other direction, offering a clearer read on how much demand is driven by the opponent, the moment and the broader pull of the Trojans brand. [Read more 🡒]
USC Receiver Room Suddenly Carries One Huge Opener Concern
USCs first depth chart of the season offered an early look at how the receiver room is taking shape after the departures of Makai Lemon and JaKobi Lane to the NFL. Freshmen Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley were listed as starters, with sophomores Corey Simms and Tanook Hines also penciled in up front, while freshmen Boobie Feaster and Tron Baker showed up as backups. It is a young group, but one with plenty of opportunity to establish itself quickly if the Trojans want the passing game to keep moving smoothly into the new season.
The bigger question now is how much stability USC will have when the opener arrives. Junior Terrell Anderson has been out of fall camp because of an injury, and his availability remains uncertain, which matters because the room is already leaning heavily on first- and second-year players. For a team replacing proven production at receiver, that leaves the Trojans waiting to see whether the depth chart is the full picture or just the first draft of it. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Look Offense Faces Its First Real Test Right Away
USC heads into 2026 with the kind of buzz that follows a 9-4 season, and Lincoln Riley is entering his fifth year knowing the opener will tell him plenty about how far this group has come. The Trojans have a familiar centerpiece in redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava, who passed on the NFL Draft to come back for one more season, and theyll need his steadiness to help a young receiving corps settle in after key departures to the pros.
There is still real intrigue around the rest of the offense, especially with sophomore running back King Miller back after a breakout year. For Riley, the first game is about more than a clean start, since it doubles as the first chance to see whether this rebuilt unit can match the expectations that come with wearing USC colors. [Read more 🡒]