USC’s 49-30 win over Louisiana came with plenty of offensive flash, and the numbers backed it up.
The Trojans reached 42 points for the second time in their first three games and pushed their season total to 119. Jayden Maiava was at the center of it, finishing 19 of 29 for 261 yards with a career-high five touchdown passes and one interception.
A big chunk of the spotlight belonged to freshman tight end Mark Bowman, who made his USC arrival count in a hurry. He caught his first career touchdown on a five-yard pass with 4:57 left in the first quarter, then added another score on a nine-yard slant with 12:31 remaining in the first half. The last USC tight end to score twice in a game was Josh Falo on Oct. 15, 2022, in a 42-43 loss to Utah.
Bowman’s final line was six catches for 83 yards, a 13.8-yard average, giving him the most receiving yards by a USC tight end in a single game since Anthony McCoy had 153 against Notre Dame in 2009. USC kept Bowman out of the second half after he absorbed a hard hit on his second touchdown.
Trent Mosley kept building his own case as one of the early-season bright spots. He broke loose for an 86-yard punt return touchdown and also scored on a leaping 21-yard catch.
That gave him a touchdown reception in three straight games. Since 2000, only five Big Ten freshmen had caught a touchdown in each of their first three career games before Mosley: Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State in 2024, Jackson Anthrop of Purdue in 2017, Ted Bolser of Indiana in 2010, Deon Butler of Penn State in 2005 and James Hardy of Indiana in 2005.
Mosley’s day also matched a USC mark that hadn’t been seen since Tyler Vaughns did it against Arizona State in 2018: a receiving touchdown and a punt return touchdown in the same game.
In Other News...
Former Auburn Star's Sudden USC Exit Now Looks Far More Serious
Chad Baker-Mazaras sudden exit from USC basketball has taken on a much more serious cast than a routine roster departure. The former Auburn standout filed a lawsuit against coach Eric Musselman, claiming Musselman directed a racially charged rant at him after a game in February, and that the fallout led to Baker-Mazara being dismissed from the program the next day.
The suit goes beyond the breakup on the bench. Baker-Mazara also alleges USC skipped an NIL payment and tried to end the agreement by invoking a morals clause, and he is suing for breach of contract, conversion and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage. He says the dismissal damaged his NBA Draft stock, turning what looked like a quick roster move into a dispute with bigger implications for the Trojans and their coach. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads Into Big Ten Play With Real Momentum And One Concern
USC wrapped up its nonconference slate at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with a 49-30 win over Louisiana, a result that gave the No. 12 Trojans a little more confidence as Big Ten play arrives. The offense again had plenty to like, with freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley adding both a punt return touchdown and a receiving touchdown to keep building on a strong start to the season.
Freshman tight end Mark Bowman was another bright spot, catching six passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns before being held out of the second half as a precaution. On the other side of the ball, defensive lineman Jide Abasiri flashed enough disruption to draw a high PFF grade, but USC still heads into conference play with one lingering concern after a game that otherwise looked like another step forward. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Sends USC A Clear Warning Before Big Ten Play
USC is 3-0 after its win over Louisiana, and Lincoln Riley spent his latest media session sounding like a coach who knows the early record only tells part of the story. The No. 12 Trojans have shown growth through the opening stretch, but Riley pointed to the challenges the team has already faced and the way different pieces have helped them keep moving forward, especially on the defensive side.
With Big Ten play looming, Riley made it clear the next phase will demand more from USC than the first three games have. He talked through the lessons already learned and the players who have helped steady the start, but the bigger question now is how the Trojans hold up when the competition changes and the margin for error gets much thinner. [Read more 🡒]