USC’s season has reached a point where the scoreboard matters, but so does the response around it.
After the Oct. 26 loss to Oregon, the No. 16 Trojans could have unraveled.
Instead, they answered the noise with back-to-back wins, first by erasing a 21-10 third-quarter deficit against Washington on Oct. 3, then by going on the road and beating Penn State 31-23 in front of a record crowd of 114,419. For a program that has had trouble away from the Coliseum since entering the Big Ten in 2024, that result stood out as one of its best performances on the road.
It also says something about where this team is mentally. Southern Cal has already had to deal with a must-win conference game, then a hostile road setting, and still found a way to keep stacking victories while its College Football Playoff hopes stay alive.
On paper, those wins may not jump off the page. Inside the locker room, though, the way the Trojans handled that stretch says a lot about the culture and the belief in Lincoln Riley.
Now at 6-1, USC is still in position, and the question becomes whether the Trojans are finding their rhythm at the right time.
Health will matter too. Coming out of the bye week, USC is expected to get some help back, and there are a few names still being watched closely.
Left tackle Elijah Paige is off the injury report after being a late add before the Penn State game, when he ended up sitting out. Paige was named a Midseason First Team All-American by The Athletic.
Starting left guard Hayden Treter is also off the report after missing time since leaving the Oregon game in the first half. Tight end Mark Bowman and defensive lineman Jide Abasiri are both listed as questionable.
Bowman has missed the last two games. The freshman was a day one starter and quickly became a key part of the offense because of his versatility and his ability to create mismatches as a pass-catcher. His work as a run blocker has also made him look like a sixth offensive lineman.
Abasiri barely got on the field against Penn State, playing just one snap after dealing with a lower body injury on the final drive against Washington the week before. The junior is second on the team in tackles for loss.
The bye week came at a useful time. USC had been playing every week since Aug. 29, and the break gave the team a chance to reset both mentally and physically before the second half of the season.
Riley said the win over Penn State on Oct. 10 should provide a boost for what comes next.
The Trojans return to action on Saturday, Oct. 24 against Wisconsin, and it will again be on NBC at 4:30 p.m. PT for the fourth straight week. That puts one of the sport’s most talked-about teams back in a national spotlight, this time in Camp Randall.
Wisconsin is followed by Ohio State next week, which makes this trip easy to glance past. USC can’t do that. Even with one loss, the Trojans have to treat each week like its own season.
In Other News...
Wisconsin May Have A Defensive Problem Right Before USC
Javan Robinsons status is one of the more notable injury-watch items hanging over Wisconsin as it gets ready for USC. Robinson is listed as questionable, and while the Badgers have not disclosed any specifics about what he is dealing with, his role on defense makes the uncertainty matter heading into a matchup where every healthy piece is going to count.
Wisconsin is still waiting on more injury-report updates before kickoff, and that leaves a real layer of tension around how the defense might look. If Robinson cannot go, it would be a meaningful blow to a unit that needs its best answers available against USCs offense, and the Badgers may not know exactly what they have until much closer to game time. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Already Faces A Tough 2027 Quarterback Decision
The Badgers are already in the thick of planning for the 2027 quarterback market, and Colton Joseph has emerged as one of the names worth watching. Wisconsin is reportedly negotiating with Joseph for that season after a mixed year, a reminder of how quickly the transfer landscape is forcing programs to make decisions well ahead of time.
Louisville, Nebraska and West Virginia are dealing with similar conversations as they sort through their own transfer quarterbacks after successful seasons, which only adds to the pressure. With the 2027 market expected to be busy and full of uncertainty, Wisconsins interest in Joseph is part of a much bigger race to line up the right answer before the window starts to close. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Gets USC At A Complicated Time In Madison
A tough November stretch has put USC in a position where every road game feels weighted a little differently, and the trip to Madison comes with plenty of moving parts. The No. 16 Trojans are heading into a key matchup against Wisconsin with their final five games looming, and they may have to sort through injury questions along the way. Tight end Mark Bowman and defensive tackle Jide Abasiri both remain questionable, adding another layer of uncertainty before a game that already carries plenty of significance.
Jayden Maiava has been one of the more impressive pieces of USCs season, and Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell made sure to acknowledge what the quarterback brings to the table ahead of the meeting. For the Badgers, it is another chance to test themselves against a ranked opponent at a time when the Trojans are trying to keep their momentum intact despite the strain of the schedule and the health concerns on the roster. [Read more 🡒]