Dante Moore is the quarterback USC has to worry about most.
That’s the real answer in the ongoing Moore-vs.-Julian Sayin debate, and it matters because the Trojans are stuck facing both of them this season. The question has only gotten more interesting as the offseason has rolled on, but Moore is the one who looks like the tougher test for USC’s secondary.
Sayin’s freshman year was about as strong an introduction as a quarterback can have. He was a Heisman finalist, helped push Ohio State to the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff, and looked every bit like a future star.
Still, when the games got biggest, the cracks showed. Indiana and Miami both had elite defenses that made him carry the load on his own, and those were the two losses on the Buckeyes’ ledger.
Moore put together a strong season as well, but his postseason was rough. He escaped a poor outing against Texas Tech because his defense was so dominant, but that cushion disappeared against the national champion, the Hoosiers.
If this turns into a pure numbers argument, Sayin has the edge. But Moore has the kind of traits that point to a franchise quarterback after this season, and that’s what makes him such a problem.
USC can scheme for Sayin, get after him, and try to knock him off rhythm. Even with Jeremiah Smith and the rest of Ohio State’s weapons, a rattled Sayin puts the Buckeyes in a dangerous spot.
Moore is the one coming into the season with more to prove, but he also has the intangibles to handle heavy game-planning. When he’s rolling, there isn’t much a defense can do to stop him in the pocket. That’s why Moore is the quarterback I think will give the Trojans the bigger headache.
Gary Patterson still has to get USC ready for both of them, though, because either quarterback can win that matchup on his own.
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The next stretch of the recruiting calendar could matter a lot here, because Koo is planning to take game-day visits this season even though nothing is locked in yet. USC is one of the schools he wants to see, and the late-September home date against Oregon is already on his radar, which gives the Trojans a chance to make a stronger impression in front of a local target who still has plenty of options. For USC, the appeal is obvious: keeping a top California receiver from drifting elsewhere is exactly the kind of battle it cannot afford to lose. [Read more 🡒]
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USC Ace Mason Edwards Just Delivered A Huge Draft Moment
Mason Edwards rise at USC ended with the kind of draft moment that confirms just how far his college career came. After missing most of the 2025 season because of injury, the former Trojans pitcher returned in 2026 and turned himself into one of the most dominant arms in the country, finishing with 8 wins, a 2.07 ERA and 15.9 strikeouts per nine innings while anchoring USCs staff.
The season also brought national recognition, with Edwards emerging as a finalist for the National Pitcher of the Year Award and earning Baseball Americas pitcher of the year honor. His performance made him the highest-drafted USC player since Brad Boxberger in 2009, and now he heads into the Athletics minor league system with the sort of momentum that can change the early shape of a pro career. [Read more 🡒]