USC left the Coliseum with a shutout win over Fresno State on Friday, rolling to a 39-0 victory to move to 2-0 on the 2026 season.
Afterward, quarterback Jayden Maiava and safety Prophet Brown broke down what stood out most from the Trojans’ latest performance, with both leaning into the same themes: trust, execution and a defense that never let Fresno State settle in.
Maiava pointed first to the people around him when asked about his completion percentage.
“I think it comes from the guy sitting next to me [head coach Lincoln Riley] and the O-Line, running backs and receivers just all being on the same page playing at a really high level. But obviously, there are some things to clean up that we want to get better at. Close out this game and onto the next.”
That same sense of confidence, Maiava said, has been built through the relationships he has with the people in the building.
“It comes from a lot of the trust that I have in the guys and the relationships that I have with them. And Coach Riley, Coach [Luke] Huard and those guys allowing me to go out there and play ball.”
As for the Coliseum crowd, Maiava said that wasn’t where his focus was.
“I didn’t really focus too much on that. This team plays for each other, plays for the coaches, and obviously for our family that showed up as well. Fight On!”
On the other side of the ball, Brown said USC’s pass rush and secondary worked in tandem throughout the night.
“I feel like we complemented each other well. So getting after the quarterback, putting him under pressure and not letting him be comfortable, that makes our job in the back end a lot easier because he has to get the ball out quick and just throw it up.”
The shutout mattered, but Brown said the way the defense finished was part of the bigger picture.
“Nobody wants to give up points, but at the end of the day, it’s about how you grow. And as a defense, I feel likewe grew very well in the finish.”
Brown also had a personal milestone to celebrate: his first career interception.
“Man, it meant everything. I can’t even put it into words.
Honestly, I did a lot of stuff behind the scenes. Just worked, stayed down and waited for the opportunity to come.
I thank God for it.”
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