USC’s Jahkeem Stewart Played Through Foot Fracture, Won’t Suit Up for Alamo Bowl
LOS ANGELES - USC freshman defensive end Jahkeem Stewart showed the kind of grit that doesn’t show up on a stat sheet. Head coach Lincoln Riley revealed Monday that Stewart played the entire 2025 season with a stress fracture in his foot - a painful injury that would sideline most players, let alone a true freshman adjusting to the college game.
Despite the injury, Stewart appeared in 11 games, tallying 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks. At 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, he brought size and physicality to USC’s defensive front, even while managing a significant limitation.
He underwent surgery the day after the Trojans wrapped up their regular season with a win over UCLA on Nov. 29.
“He showed an incredible toughness,” Riley said. “Pretty remarkable. (It) hampered the ability to practice him and prepare him a lot, which makes the contribution he made to this team this year even more impressive.”
With recovery now the priority, Stewart won’t be available for the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30, when No. 16 USC (9-3) faces TCU (8-4) in San Antonio. And he’s not the only one who’ll be missing from the Trojans’ lineup.
Riley confirmed that several other players will not participate in the bowl game, though he kept the reasons mostly under wraps.
“I’m not making announcements for individual players,” Riley said during Monday’s media availability.
Among those opting out for non-health-related reasons are defensive back Kamari Ramsey, wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, tight end Lake McRee, and linebacker Eric Gentry. Lane, Ramsey, and McRee have already declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Lemon has yet to announce his plans, but his absence suggests he may be weighing his options.
Injuries are also playing a role in shaping USC’s bowl roster. Defensive end Anthony Lucas and defensive back Bishop Fitzgerald are both nursing injuries but are hoping to be available by game time. Meanwhile, offensive linemen Kilian O’Connor and Elijah Paige have undergone offseason surgeries and won’t be recovered in time to play.
As for USC’s highly touted recruiting class - one of the best in the country - it’s unlikely that any early enrollees will suit up in the bowl game. According to Riley, the logistics of getting those players cleared and ready to practice are more complex than simply arriving on campus.
“It’s complicated,” Riley said. “It’s not as easy to just show up one day and come out and practice. There’s a lot of certification that has to go on, so I don’t know that we’re going to be able to do that with our guys this time around.”
With several key contributors out and a handful of others uncertain, USC will head into the Alamo Bowl with a reshuffled roster - and an opportunity for younger players to step into bigger roles. While the absences are notable, the focus now shifts to how the Trojans adjust and respond, especially on the defensive side where Stewart’s toughness and presence will be missed.
For a team that has battled through ups and downs all season, the Alamo Bowl offers one last stage to show what the future might look like - even if it means doing so without some of its biggest names.