USC’s offense is starting to take shape with the season opener only nine days out, and the Trojans’ projected first unit has a clear mix of established names, portal additions and a few young pieces ready to push for snaps.
At quarterback, the choice is straightforward: Jayden Maiava. USC is bringing back one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten, and if the Trojans put together the kind of season they’re hoping for, Maiava could work his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation by November.
The backfield has a cleaner answer than most teams can offer. Waymond Jordan gets the nod at running back, even with King Miller right there beside him. USC’s depth at the position is a real weapon, and both backs are expected to play huge roles this season.
Receiver is where things get more interesting. Tanook Hines is the only returning starter from last year’s group after impressing as a true freshman in 2025.
Terrell Anderson, one of USC’s biggest transfer portal pickups of the offseason, steps in after catching 39 passes for 629 yards and five touchdowns at NC State. The third spot goes to Trent Mosley, though the freshmen behind him could make this a moving target fast.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Boobie Feaster are both candidates to carve out meaningful playing time, but Mosley gets the early edge for now.
Up front, USC’s offensive line has one locked-in piece and several spots that have shifted because of Kilian O’Connor’s injury. Elijah Paige remains the projected starter at left tackle after opening the last two seasons there.
Hayden Treter looks like the favorite at left guard, while Tobias Raymond appears headed to center after previously looking like the likely left guard. Alani Noa, now entering his third season as a starter, is the most likely fit at right guard even though he can line up in multiple places.
Justin Tauanuu, who started at right tackle as a redshirt freshman last season, is expected to be back there again.
At tight end, the veteran gets the early call. Carson Tabaracci is projected to start ahead of highly touted true freshman Mark Bowman, though Bowman could be pushing for that job before long.
In Other News...
USC-UCLA Has One Tradition College Football Should Stop Copying
When Alabama and Tennessee announced they would both wear their home uniforms for their meeting this season, it stirred up an old college football debate: whether more rivalries should embrace the look that has long defined USC and UCLA. In Los Angeles, the setup works because it is tied to one specific game, one specific feel and one of the sports most recognizable visual traditions, with the Trojans cardinal and the Bruins blue playing off each other in a way that instantly says something about the rivalry itself.
But making double-home uniforms a routine habit across college football would risk turning a special wrinkle into a gimmick. The NFL learned as much during its Color Rush experiment, where color-on-color matchups sometimes looked fresh and sometimes just looked awkward, and thats the caution here for USC fans who know the rivalrys aesthetic is part of the event. What makes USC-UCLA stand out is that it is not everywhere, and college football is usually better when it leaves a few traditions alone. [Read more 🡒]
Why USC Fans Still Treat One Enemy Different Than Everyone Else
For USC fans, the old grievances still have a way of dwarfing the modern rivalry map. ESPNs recent list of arch-enemies for power conference programs put the NCAA at the top of the Trojans board instead of a fellow school, a nod to how deeply the sanctions from the Reggie Bush investigation still linger in the fan bases memory. The punishment tied to improper benefits never faded into simple history around here; it became part of how USC supporters tell the story of what the program lost and who they blame for it.
The resentment is sharpened by the feeling that college footballs enforcement has never looked even-handed. USCs punishment remains a touchstone in debates over fairness because the NCAAs handling of violations has often seemed inconsistent, and Penn States less severe sanction for far more serious infractions is still a painful comparison for Trojan fans. So while rivalries usually come with a school, a mascot or a border war, USCs most personal beef remains institutional, and it is not hard to see why that edge has never really gone away. [Read more 🡒]
USC Secondary Hype Around Jontez Williams Comes With One Big Catch
Jontez Williams arrives at USC with the kind of rsum that naturally gets people talking. The Iowa State transfer was an All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2024, and his reputation as a disruptive defensive back has already made him one of the more intriguing pieces in the Trojans secondary heading into the upcoming season. An analyst even slotted him 145th among college football players, which says plenty about the respect he carries and the level of expectation surrounding him in Los Angeles.
For USC, the appeal is obvious: Williams is expected to play a significant role right away in a unit that needs difference-makers. The catch is just as obvious, though no less important. His value to the Trojans hinges on health, and that makes his availability one of the quieter but more consequential storylines as USC tries to stabilize its defense and turn a promising addition into a real asset. [Read more 🡒]