Two weeks into the season, USC’s most important players are starting to separate themselves from the pack. The Trojans’ offense has found its rhythm behind Jayden Maiava, and the defense has gotten an early jolt from Jide Abasiri. After Week 1, the picture is getting clearer on who is rising and who still needs to catch up.
Maiava is the obvious headliner. He is looking every bit like a top quarterback in college football, and the Heisman talk no longer feels like a stretch.
He’s playing with confidence, Lincoln Riley is clearly leaning on him, and his performance against Fresno State - a tough defensive group - might have been his sharpest yet. If USC is going to handle the Big Ten’s best, Maiava looks ready for that fight.
Trent Mosley has also taken a major step forward. Through the first two weeks, he’s been one of the most electric players on the roster, and maybe in the country.
Maiava knows exactly where his best playmaker is, and Riley does too. If USC wants to keep stacking wins against top Big Ten teams, getting Mosley the ball could be the key.
He’s playing with real confidence already.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt delivered his breakout moment last week. The spectacular catch got attention, but the bigger milestone was the 100-yard day - the first of his college career.
That kind of outing can change how a young receiver is viewed, and it sure looks like Maiava trusts him now. Dixon-Wyatt is already showing the kind of polish USC expected.
On defense, Abasiri has been a force. He’s not just USC’s best defender right now; he’s making a case as one of the best interior players in the country early this season. Both opponents have felt him right away, and he’s quickly becoming one of the most compelling stories on the team.
Jadyn Ramos is making his own push up the depth chart. He’s turned in two straight impactful performances and has outplayed the starting defensive end.
Against the Bulldogs, he posted 1 sack and 3 tackles, and when a reserve is producing like that, it gets hard to keep him off the field. He may be pressing for Kam Crawford’s job.
Deven Bryant has also made his presence felt at linebacker. With Abasiri controlling things up front, Bryant has been able to clean things up behind him.
He had 4 tackles against the Bulldogs and brought the speed and urgency USC needed at the position. His play helped make the Trojans stout against the run, and the early returns have been strong.
Kennedy Urlacher may have had the most eye-opening defensive performance of the bunch. He showed flashes last season, but this week it all came together.
He finished with 3 total tackles and 2 sacks, and he was a wrecking ball in blitz packages. The physical style Gary Patterson wants to bring is starting to show up, and Urlacher may have emerged as a star against the Bulldogs.
Not everyone is surging, though. The running game has taken a back seat to the passing attack, and King Miller and Waymond Jordan have yet to have the kind of dominant outing both were expected to deliver.
Neither has reached 100 rushing yards, which was much easier for them last season. Right now, the ground game looks more like a complement than a centerpiece, and both backs still need a breakout.
Ethan Feaster is also still waiting for his moment. While Dixon-Wyatt and Mosley have pulled away, Feaster has not found the same rhythm.
Against Fresno State, he had just 1 catch for 4 yards, and that made it two underwhelming performances in a row for the highly touted freshman. These are the early games when young players usually get chances to shine, but so far Feaster has not taken hold of them.
Kam Crawford rounds out the down side. The starting defensive end had another quiet game, finishing with 3 total tackles, but he’s been outpaced by other edge players, including Ramos. Crawford needs a stronger showing next week if he wants to keep pace with the rest of USC’s defensive front.
In Other News...
USC Faces An Uncomfortable Coliseum Problem Before Big Ten Games Arrive
USCs strong start and lofty national ranking have not translated into the kind of full-house feel the program would have expected at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The gap between the announced attendance figures and the actual ticket scan counts has become hard to ignore, with the real crowds coming in noticeably smaller than the official numbers suggest. Even with the Trojans playing well, the building has not matched the moment.
Ticket prices for the next stretch offer a revealing snapshot of where things stand. The Louisiana game is among the most affordable options on the schedule, while the cost of getting in is set to rise as Big Ten opponents come to town. For USC, the early-season attendance picture now carries an added layer of concern because the more demanding conference games are still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Young Tight End Is Becoming Hard To Ignore
Mark Bowman has wasted little time making his presence felt for USC. The former five-star recruit has already carved out a role in his first two college games, catching six passes for 45 yards, and he is drawing notice inside a program that is trying to sharpen every edge as it pushes toward the College Football Playoff. His early usage has given the Trojans another option at tight end, a position that can be easy to overlook until it starts to matter in big-game moments.
Lincoln Riley has pointed to Bowmans preparation and development as reasons the freshmans rise has come so quickly, which only adds to the intrigue around where his role goes from here. USC now turns its attention to Louisiana, and the Ragin Cajuns figure to be another chance for Bowman to keep building on a start that has been hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A Chance To Build Serious Momentum With Key Recruit
With USC preparing for its final non-conference game against Louisiana, the recruiting buzz around the program is starting to build again. One of the more interesting names to watch is Malaki Davis, the three-star running back from Corona Centennial, who is expected to be in the Coliseum for the matchup. For a staff that has already landed an early commitment from quarterback Trey Wright in the 2028 class, Davis would be another important offensive target to keep the momentum going.
The visit matters because USC appears to be in a strong spot with Davis already, and the Trojans are working to keep him engaged as he lines up more looks. He is also expected back for the Ohio State game, which gives USC a second major opportunity to make its case in front of one of its top remaining backfield priorities. For a program trying to keep stacking offensive talent early, these kinds of visits can carry real weight even before the recruiting calendar gets busy. [Read more 🡒]