Biggest Winners and Losers Of USC's Regular Season

Posting a 9-3 regular season record for the No. 16 USC Trojans, most would find that the Trojans' season was success compared to last year. There are still many "what if" questions like if USC had beaten Illinois or even Oregon. Heading into one final game of the year, competing in the Alamo Bowl against TCU, coach Lincoln Riley has a chance to bring his 2025 team a 10th win.

Recapping the regular season, USC's turnover in the offseason was present this season - quarterback Jayden Maiava was dominant all season long, running back room prevailed given their early season circumstances, and the Trojans signed the No. 2026 recruiting class.

Biggest Winners Of USC Trojans Regular Season

Winner: Quarterback Jayden Maiava

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Injury Report Makai Lemon Jayden Maiava Offensive Line Big Ten Waymond Jordan Top 25 Kamari Ramsey — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and head coach Lincoln Riley react after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

When you look at where the Trojans were last year, versus this year, the quarterback play is efficient, and truly embodies a well-balanced offense under Riley. Especially when Maiava's chance to start came end of 2024, fans got exactly what they expected from Maiava; Talent, composure and leadership.

Although Maiava had a few glitches this season when it came to turnovers and questionable decision-making, Maiava was someone that was thorough and consistent for merely the entire season.

Notably, with the company he was surrounded by like wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane, his passing game came to life. On the ground, the offense flourished into an unstoppable force when Maiava used his legs.

Jayden Maiava teaching everyone a lesson:

NEVER GIVE UP ON A PLAY
pic.twitter.com/k7rc8arv02
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 8, 2025

"Jayden's done a really nice job leading our team and leading our offense this year. Certainly one of the most improved players on our roster," Riley said at the Valero Alamo Bowl Team Announcement Press Conference. "Grew a lot...Has done a really nice job here in his second year with us. Just command of the offense, becoming a leader. He's a guy that can make some plays with his legs as well and has just really improved."

Maiava rounded out the regular season as the Big Ten passing yard leader with 3,431 and contributed to an explosive that sits second, behind the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers, in offensive yards per game with 471. 6 yards per game. While Maiava's future remains uncertain, fans should expect a solid performance from the quarterback in their final game of the 2025 season on Dec. 30.

Winner: General Manager Chad Bowden

USC Trojans general manager Chad Bowden hired from Notre Dame Fighting Irish | USC Trojans Video Youtube

In general manager Chad Bowden's first year with the Trojans, USC saw significant areas of improvement across the board, whether it was recruiting or his ultimate approach into developing the USC Football program, it was apparent that Bowden's impact paved way for the Trojans in 2025.

USC's No. 1 class also marks the first non-SEC program since 2008, a massive accomplishment towards the upward trend of the Trojans program.

MORE: USC Signees Reveal How Chad Bowden Has Changed Everything At USC

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Something Bowden also did significantly well was re-emphasize USC's focus on recruiting California, especially from Southern California. USC has four signees from Mater Dei High School, three from Santa Margarita Catholic High School, and three from Sierra Canyon High School.

A No. 1 class was just in Bowden's first season with the program. Now entering transfer portal season, imagine the kind of impact Bowden can make bringing some of the nation's best collegiate players to South Central.

Winner: Makai Lemon

It's fairly simple labeling wide receiver Makai Lemon as a winner this season, whether it's based on his plethora of season awards, his Biletnikoff Award Finalist honors or leading the Power Four in receiving yards, Lemon is an elite receiver who bolstered USC's air raid offense.

Lemon, the 5-11 receiver from Los Alamitos, California has progressed into one of the most talented receivers in all of college football. Through 12 games, Lemon recorded 1,156 receiving yards on 79 receptions, 11 rushing touchdowns, two rushing and one passing touchdown.

NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper has been tabbing Lemon as one of the most talented players in the NFL Draft class, someone who plays with an edge, and someone Kiper would want on his roster.

We see you, Makai Lemon 😲

The @uscfb star WR elevates and absorbs the contact to reel in the highlight grab.

📺: BTN pic.twitter.com/5tsLKWAYZS
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 15, 2025

Lemon has proved his athleticism and his ability to make any impossible looking catch look easy, and should be one of the top receivers picked in the NFL Draft.

Biggest Losers Of USC Trojans Regular Season

Loser: Waymond Jordan

The top JUCO running back in the portal that transferred to USC last offseason was running back Waymond Jordan. Jordan's first game in Cardinal and Gold quickly tabbed him as an elite tailback who could make waves in Big Ten conference play this season.

Jordan, the 5-foot-9 210 pound running back from Pensacola, Florida showed his flashes early. His athleticism and quickness when the ball's in his hands gave the run game a new look that was going to be exciting to watch all season.

Waymond Jordan turns on the jets for the TD!! 💨 @uscfb pic.twitter.com/wxgnPLanlp
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 7, 2025

During the Michigan game on Oct. 11, Jordan went down with an ankle injury and exited the field. The news came back that Jordan was going to be out for four to six weeks and underwent surgery. However, the four to six week timeline at the time of the Michigan game essentially meant he would miss the entire season.

Although the run game did not let up, with running back King Miller stepping in and keeping the intensity with his explosiveness, Jordan's injury was unfortunate for the path he was on. Jordan finished his first six games as a Trojan with 576 yards on 88 carries and five touchdowns.

Loser: Injuries

Echoing the loss of Jordan due to an injury, the Trojans faced several other injuries of key players that caused position shake ups all season.

USC's offensive line shuffled their lineup all season after offensive lineman Elijah Paige went down with an injury in the Michigan State game in September, and center Kilian O'Connor went down at the Illinois game. While coach Zach Hanson was able to retain a solid performance from the offensive line, despite the multiple combinations, both Paige and O'Connor were big losses to the season.

Wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane faced an injury for one game against Michigan State. Although it was only a one-game stint, Lane's resurgence was a little slower than anticipated, but still finished the season as USC's elite wide receiver next to Lemon. Running back Eli Sanders suffered an injury in the Michigan game and was ruled out for the year.

Defensively was one of the bigger adjustments defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn had to face. Safety Kamari Ramsey first saw his first game on the sidelines against Illinois, when he was sick with food poisoning the night before and missed the entirety of the loss to Illinois. Additionally, Ramsey also sat for the final two games after sustaining a right knee injury against the Iowa Hawkeyes, and sat the final games against Oregon and UCLA.

Safety Bishop FItzgerald was one of the Trojans most important pieces in the secondary, leading the team in interceptions with five. Against the Hawkeyes, Fitzgerald suffered an injury and headed to the locker room and did not return to action. Fitzgerald was ruled out of the final two games of the season and was seen on crutches against the Bruins.

Defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett, widely known for his "thicc-six" against Purdue, was also ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery that put him out of any further competition this season.

Although the season was filled with many accomplishments from both sides of the ball, an undefeated record at home, and two top-25 wins, the Trojans 2025 season could very well be seen as a success. USC prepares for the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30 to face the TCU Horned Frogs at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN.