No. 14 USC is back in Los Angeles on Friday night, and the Trojans will get another look at just how much firepower they really have when Fresno State comes to town.
USC opened its third season in the Big Ten with a 42-26 win over San Jose State on Saturday, but that score hardly tells the full story. The Trojans were in control from the start, leading 28-0 at halftime and 35-3 after three quarters before easing off late in a game played in near triple-digit heat before a sparse crowd at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Jayden Maiava was the engine again. The USC quarterback threw for 286 yards on 25-of-29 passing, hit two touchdowns through the air and added another on the ground, all in what amounted to about 45 minutes of work.
Fresno State coach Matt Entz knows exactly who he’s dealing with.
"Everybody knows Jayden, when you talk about being a Heisman candidate and one of the best players in the country coming back at that position," Fresno State coach Matt Entz said during his appearance on CBS47 Fresno's Ultimate Insider program.
Maiava became USC’s starter midway through the 2024 season, overlapping with Entz’s time as a Trojans assistant. Entz had been in charge of the linebackers at USC after his run at North Dakota State, where he guided the program to Football Championship Subdivision national championships in 2019 and 2021.
Entz returned to the head-coaching chair last season and led Fresno State to a 9-4 record. His defense was a calling card, with the Bulldogs allowing just 18.8 points per game in 2025. USC coach Lincoln Riley made a point of that this week on Trojans Live, singling out how tough Fresno State was through the air.
"They had one of the best pass defenses in the country last year," Riley said on the Trojans Live show on Monday, citing Fresno State's 153.8-yard-per-game allowance through the air. Only Ohio State (129.7) was stingier against the pass in 2025.
"They did a good job eliminating explosive plays (and) yards after the catch," Riley added.
Fresno State’s defense does bring back some notable pieces, including lineman Jahzon Jacks and linebacker K'vion Thunderbird. Jacks led the nation with four fumble recoveries last year.
USC, meanwhile, still looks loaded on offense even with some offseason turnover. Maiava already showed that on opening weekend, and one of his biggest bright spots was freshman Trent Mosley.
The Chicago native, who played at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Southern California, caught seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown in his debut. Riley said Mosley was assertive right out of the gate.
Friday also marks Fresno State’s first competitive game of the season, and its first under the Pac-12 banner. The Bulldogs left the Mountain West with Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State and now join former Sun Belt member Texas State along with Oregon State and Washington State in the rebuilt league.
The quarterback situation for Fresno State was settled this week when junior Jayden Mandal was named the Week 1 starter on Monday. Mandal, a Clovis, Calif., native, has only nine pass attempts on his college resume and made one start in 2024. He missed the 2025 season because of arm and shoulder injuries.
Entz said the competition with Maryland transfer Khristian Martin came down to several factors after a full fall camp evaluation.
"We kept metrics on everything during the course of fall camp. When I break it down, timing and accuracy were probably the two biggest things that stood out, and then ball security was another one.
"We want to minimize poor decision-making, we want to minimize turnovers, we want to minimize extra possessions by our opponents, and then there were some intangible things as well. Both quarterbacks have shown to be really tremendous leaders. Both of them have the ear of the football team, command of the huddle."
In Other News...
USCs Week 0 Numbers Hint At Something Bigger On Offense
USCs season opener left behind more than a win, it also offered an early statistical snapshot that suggests this offense may already be tracking toward something more dangerous. Jayden Maiavas efficiency stood out right away, with the quarterback setting a completion percentage record in his debut as the starter, while true freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley made his first college game look far less ordinary than most opening nights for an 18-year-old.
There is still plenty to sort out, especially on the other side of the ball, but the broader picture from Week 0 was hard to miss. USC showed up in the national and Big Ten rankings in ways that reflect real production, and the number of true freshmen in the starting lineup only added to the sense that this group is still getting its footing while already flashing a higher ceiling than a typical early-season team. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Herbstreit Just Called Out USC Fans Over A Growing Problem
USCs home opener brought the kind of spotlight the program usually expects, but not the kind of crowd it wanted. ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit took aim at the Trojans fan support after the stadium was only about half full, despite USC coming in ranked 14th nationally and trying to position itself for a run at the conference title.
Herbstreits criticism also pointed beyond the stands and toward the broader picture around the program, including the schools response to the disappointing turnout. For a team trying to build momentum early, the scene served as a reminder that success on the field does not always guarantee the atmosphere around it, and USC has some work to do to turn home games back into the kind of event that matches the expectations. [Read more 🡒]
USC May Have Found A Freshman Lincoln Riley Can Trust Early
USC did not have to wait long to find out what Mark Bowman could offer. The freshman tight end started in the season opener against San Jos State and spent most of his night doing the unglamorous work that helps an offense function, especially as a run blocker. For a player with Bowmans recruiting profile and a high school rsum that drew plenty of attention, the early role says a lot about how quickly he has adapted to the college game.
Landon Tengwall noted Bowmans advanced physical development and the kind of blocking skills that can earn a young player trust fast, and that matters in Lincoln Rileys offense. Bowman also chipped in three catches for 15 yards, but his bigger value may come from what he does before the ball ever reaches him. If USC is going to lean on its ground game early, Bowman already looks like someone the staff is comfortable putting on the field. [Read more 🡒]