USC’s final three games will tell the story of whether the Trojans’ aggressive 2025 recruiting push can really pay off in the biggest moments.
The class was massive - 34 freshmen signed to help drive that plan - and now several of those first-year players are no longer just promising pieces. They’re central to what USC needs to do next, especially after the Trojans stunned former No.
2 Ohio State 30-18 and sent fans rushing the field. That win eased some of the pressure on Lincoln Riley after the rough Wisconsin game that left USC with two losses.
At the top of the list is Trent Mosley, who made his presence felt against the Buckeyes in a way that had nothing to do with reputation and everything to do with production. Wearing the same number as Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Mosley still set the tone for USC. He broke loose for a 69-yard touchdown that lit up the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, then finished with 101 receiving yards for his fourth 100-yard game.
That kind of burst is exactly what USC will need again over the next three weeks. Mosley has become the kind of catch-and-run threat the Trojans have leaned on before, the same sort of role Makai Lemon once filled in this offense. If Mosley can do damage again against nationally ranked Indiana and UCLA, it will only sharpen the case for how well USC recruited him.
The Trojans also got a jolt from tight end Mark Bowman, whose hurdle against Ohio State became one of the defining plays of the game and quickly turned into a popular NIL-era shirt. The numbers are solid rather than flashy - 24 catches, 283 yards and two touchdowns - but Bowman has given USC the kind of tight end presence that can change how defenses have to play.
That matters now more than ever with No. 4 Indiana and No.
8 UCLA coming up, both teams expected to try to bracket Mosley and take away the easy stuff. If that happens, Bowman’s role should grow even more as USC looks for answers in the middle of the field during its most important stretch.
The third freshman to watch is Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, even though edge rusher Luke Wafle was also in the conversation. Wafle may see more action flow away from him, but Dixon-Wyatt is the one who could benefit most if defenses get locked onto Mosley and Bowman. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has already shown how much this offense can lean on Mosley, which should create openings elsewhere.
Dixon-Wyatt has already flashed that upside with two 100-yard games, going for 102 yards against Fresno State and 114 against Oregon. With Indiana and UCLA expected to play sticky coverage, USC will need him to win contested catches and attack the ball in the air.
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USC Freshmen Are Already Driving The Trojans' Strong Finish
USCs late-season push has been fueled in part by a freshman class that has grown up fast. The Trojans have leaned on 21 true freshmen this season, and the group has moved well beyond developmental reps, with several first-year players carving out real roles on both sides of the ball. Among them, five-star recruit Wafle has stood out defensively by leading the freshmen in tackles and quarterback pressures, while four-star wideouts Mosley and Dixon-Wyatt have been central to the passing game.
The attention around that group has only grown as the season has gone on, with multiple freshmen drawing weekly conference honors, midseason All-American recognition and even semifinalist nods for national awards. For USC, the bigger picture is obvious: this isnt just a promising class for the future, its already shaping the present. And with so many first-year contributors already in the spotlight, the question now is how much more this group can influence the Trojans finish. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Faces A Playoff Gut Check At Ohio State
Oregon heads into one of the biggest measuring-stick games of the season with its playoff hopes tied to what happens in Columbus. The Ducks have gotten a lift from quarterback Dylan Raiola, whose recent strong performance has helped steady the offense, but this trip will demand much more than momentum. Ohio State brings the kind of balance and talent that tends to expose any soft spots, especially in a game with College Football Playoff implications hanging over it.
The Buckeyes are leaning on freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, but the real pressure point may be how Oregon handles Ohio States playmakers, including Jeremiah Smith and Bo Jackson. On paper, it shapes up as a competitive matchup with enough firepower on both sides to keep it close, yet the edge still appears to favor the home team. For Oregon, the challenge is not just winning a tough road game, but proving it can survive the kind of test that separates contenders from hopefuls. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Faces A Pressure Test USC Fans Know Well
Ryan Day enters the 2026 season under the kind of scrutiny USC fans know all too well, with Ohio State already dealing with injuries and key losses that have knocked the Buckeyes down in the rankings. For a program that expects to be in the playoff conversation every year, the margin for error has suddenly gotten a lot thinner, and the early conversation is less about championship dreams than about how quickly the roster can stabilize.
The biggest concerns are on the offensive line and in the red zone, where Ohio State has to be far sharper if it wants any realistic shot at the College Football Playoff. Those issues tend to linger until they are fixed, and for Day, the pressure is now tied to whether the Buckeyes can clean up the details that separate a good team from one that actually survives the seasons grind. [Read more 🡒]