Michigan State's Aiden Chiles, Nick Marsh Pose Serious Threat To USC Trojans Defense

The No. 25 USC Trojans have raced out to a tremendous start to the 2025 season with a 3-0 record. However, their toughest test to date will be when the Michigan State Spartans head into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 8 p.m. ET to take on the Trojans on Saturday.

The Trojans have started the season on fire, especially on offense, but their defense, led by defensive coordinator D’anton Lynn, is leading the nation in sacks and ranked 22nd in rushing defense.

The defense as a whole will be tested when talented quarterback Aiden Chiles and wide receiver Nick Marsh step into the field. Chiles is a 6-3, 225-pounder from Long Beach, California, who is as gifted as any quarterback in the country. He possesses a cannon of an arm and dynamic ability as a runner. After a seesaw season in 2024, Chiles is playing up to his peak capacity in 2025, nearing 1,000 total yards in just three games, along with seven total touchdowns to just one interception.

Michigan State. Aiden Chiles. USC Trojans. Lincoln Riley. Jahkeem Stewart. Eric Gentry. Big Ten. College Football Playoff. — Michigan State's quarterback Aiden Chiles runs for a gain against Youngstown State during the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nick Marsh is a 6-3, 203-pound true sophomore who had an amazing freshman campaign. While facing some nagging injuries to start this season, he’s been fully cleared for this game and already has three touchdowns and 194 receiving yards to start this season. The big-bodied athlete will pose threats and force Coach Lynn to be selective with how he chooses to cover him, as leaving him in man-to-man situations is not ideal.

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What USC Coaches Say:

“I think it’s the biggest challenge that we’ve faced up to this point in terms of the quarterback and the offense and just how all those complementary pieces fit," USC coach Lincoln Riley said earlier this week.

“It’ll be a big focus point for us to be able to keep him in the pocket, to contain him in there — sometimes it’s sacks, also sometimes it’s just trying to affect a guy and make him feel our presence and being able to try and bottle him up, which is a tough task,” Riley added.

"The best thing they do is just their play action and boot game they have off of that," said Lynn. "They have the ability to really generate explosive plays down field, because you have to stop the run, because they will do it all game."

The Trojans are great at getting after the quarterback, but the improvisational skills of Chiles to extend plays can be a neutralizing factor for the Spartan offense. Factor in the consistent vertical threat of a receiver like Marsh, and the aggression typically shown by the defensive unit is subject to being exploited for explosive plays. Being timely and disguising blitz packages and pressure looks will be key for the Trojan defense tonight.

The Trojans are getting their first real test of the season, and it’ll be all eyes on the defense to pass it with flying colors. If the Trojans are back, it’ll be because the defense is dominating.

What USC Coaches Say:

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