USC · Big TenMaiava leads No. 14 USC past Fresno State
USC improved to 2-0 with a 39-0 win as freshman Trent Mosley caught two of Jayden Maiava’s three touchdown passes.
SEP 5, 2026
The Pate State · Editorial IllustrationUSC’s win over Fresno State
Jayden Maiava passing yards
USC points through two games
01 · The NewsMaiava Leads No. 14 USC Past Fresno State
No. 14 USC moved to 2-0 on Friday, Sept. 4, shutting out Fresno State 39-0 behind Jayden Maiava’s 349 passing yards and three touchdown passes.
Freshman receiver Trent Mosley caught two of those touchdowns, giving USC an immediate young connection in the passing game. The Trojans have scored 81 points in two games after opening with a 42-26 victory over San José State on Aug. 29.
USC controlled a matchup between teams that both finished 9-4 in 2025. The Trojans followed a 16-point win in their opener by winning Friday by 39 and kept Fresno State off the scoreboard after allowing San José State 26 points.
Maiava supplied the established piece. His 349 yards and three touchdown passes gave USC another strong performance from its quarterback, while Mosley became the notable new piece with two scores.
USC opened the season ranked No. 14 in both the AP Top 25 and the AFCA Coaches Poll after going 7-2 in Big Ten play last season. The ranking gives the early results a clear test: the Trojans have handled their first two opponents, and Louisiana is the next chance to add to that case.
The connection between Maiava and Mosley now moves into game three, with USC set to host Louisiana at 11 p.m. ET on Sept. 12. For the Trojans, the freshman has already made himself part of the story.
02 · The StakesWhy It Matters
That start gives USC early momentum as a ranked Big Ten contender. A strong result against Louisiana on Saturday, Sept. 12, could strengthen the Trojans’ case to stay in the national conversation before the schedule gets tougher.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
USC’s opening surge began from a different baseline than the poll number suggests: The Trojans were No. 14 in both preseason polls but were outside Josh Pate’s 12-team preseason bracket. The schedule gives them a defined path to challenge that position. After Louisiana on Sept. 12, USC goes to Rutgers on Sept. 19, hosts Oregon on Sept. 26 and Washington on Oct. 3, then visits Penn State on Oct. 10. The 2-0 record protects the opportunity; the four games from Rutgers through Penn State determine whether the start changes USC’s place in the national field rather than merely its ranking.
“The connection between Maiava and Mosley now moves into game three”
From the story04 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Will Mosley remain Maiava’s top touchdown target against Oregon?
Mosley caught two of Maiava’s three touchdown passes against Fresno State, making touchdown distribution the useful tell beyond USC’s raw scoring total. Louisiana on Sept. 12 and Rutgers on Sept. 19 provide two games of evidence before Oregon arrives Sept. 26. Mosley’s touchdown catches and Maiava’s scoring distribution in those games will show how durable the connection is.
05 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Can USC keep the momentum against Louisiana?
A strong result against Louisiana could strengthen the Trojans’ case to stay in the national conversation before the schedule gets tougher.
Does the Maiava-Mosley connection keep producing?
Mosley caught two of Maiava’s touchdown passes against Fresno State, and the connection now moves into game three.