USC went into its matchup with Rutgers with no players returning from the injury list, and the Trojans also had a long group of 14 players unavailable because of injuries and/or because they were not dressed.
That list included Trent Mosley, Jadyn Walker, Madden Riordan, Kendarius Reddick, John Fifita, Taylor Johnson, Shaun Scott, Taniela Tupou, Dylan Black, Gavin Degner, Cian McKelvey, Elijah Newby, Jahkeem Stewart, Roderick Tezeno and Kilian O'Connor.
Three more players, Alex Graham, Corey Simms and Jontez Williams, were injured and did not finish USC’s victory. No player made a season debut.
There were, however, 13 non-career debut players who either set or matched a USC career high in total snaps: Deven Bryant, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Chasen Johnson, Mark Bowman, Jide Abasiri, Elbert Hill IV, Luke Wafle, Alex VanSumeren, Tucker Ashcraft, Trestin Castro, Riley Wormley, Ryan O'Connell and Peyton Dyer.
USC used a season-low 60 players against Rutgers, with snap totals stretching from Desman Stephens II and Prophet Brown at 74 apiece down to just one offensive snap for tight end Josiah Jefferson and one defensive snap for Marquis Gallegos. The Trojans’ previous high for players used was 74, and this game marked the low point at 60.
Things to know: Sacks and scrambles are factored in dropbacks. Pop passes are a variation of jet sweeps and therefore tallied as runs.
A player is considered lined up as an H-back if they are inside the offensive tackle or fully inside an inline tight end. Kneel downs and spikes are removed from yards per play averages because the team is not trying to gain yardage.
In Other News...
USC Is Hiding A Coliseum Twist Before Oregon Arrives
With Oregon coming to the Coliseum, one small pregame detail has become a talking point around USC: the tunnel captain has not been announced yet. The Trojans usually reveal that honor a few days before kickoff, so the silence has only added to the buzz around who will lead the team out for one of the seasons biggest home dates.
Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll are among the names drawing attention because of what they mean to the program, but USC has not made anything public. For a matchup with so much weight attached to it, even the walkout has taken on extra meaning, and the final choice should say plenty about how the school wants this night framed before the game even starts. [Read more 🡒]
USC Stars In The NFL Are Breaking Out And Breaking Down
Drake London gave USC fans a reminder of what elite receiver play can look like on a big stage Thursday night, hauling in nine passes for 194 yards against Green Bay. The former Trojans standout has continued to grow into a featured role with the Atlanta Falcons, and nights like this only deepen the sense that USCs receiver pipeline is producing players who can make an immediate impact in the NFL.
Elsewhere, the picture around USC alums is a little less celebratory. Baltimore Ravens rookie JaKobi Lane is on injured reserve after breaking his wrist in his NFL debut, while Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is working through a minor hamstring injury that could sideline him on a week-to-week basis. For a program that prides itself on sending stars to Sundays, the early-season snapshot is a mix of breakout production and the kind of health issues that can interrupt even the most promising start. [Read more 🡒]
USCs First Real Test Could Expose A Growing Trojans Problem
Week 3 of the 2026 college football season turned into another reminder that the AP top 25 can get shaken up fast, with five ranked teams going down, including Texas A&M and Virginia. While Texas stayed unbeaten at No. 1 and gets ready for a test against Tennessee, the rest of the sport is already moving toward matchups that can redraw the picture in a hurry, and USC is right in that mix with Oregon coming to town.
For the Trojans, this is the sort of game that can answer a few lingering questions about where they really stand. Oregon brings its own form into the matchup, and around the country other ranked showdowns like Florida-Ole Miss are adding to a week that already feels loaded with consequence. USC has looked the part in stretches, but this one figures to show whether the Trojans are ready for the next step or still have something to prove. [Read more 🡒]