Three Bold Predictions for USC Trojans vs. Fresno State

The No. 14 USC Trojans return to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Friday night for their second game of the season. The Trojans opened the season on the right foot with a 42-26 win over San José State, in a game where there was plenty to like.

The season opener gave USC plenty of reasons to feel optimistic. Quarterback Jayden Maiava looked sharp and efficient in his first game of the season, Trent Mosley immediately emerged as a playmaker in the passing game and USC’s young talent showed it can make an impact early. The Trojans also found a solid balance in the backfield, which gives the offense another dimension to lean on.

USC Trojans Fresno State Jayden Maiava Trent Mosley Lincoln Riley College Football Playoff 2026 season opener Trojan football — Aug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the San Jose State Spartans in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

More importantly, the win allowed USC to begin building the foundation for a season that carries massive expectations. For the Trojans, anything short of a College Football Playoff appearance would not only be viewed as a failure, but potentially also put coach Lincoln Riley’s job in jeopardy.

Friday night presents another opportunity for the Trojans to take another step toward becoming the national championship contender they believe they can be. But the competition gets a little bit tougher in Week 1.

Fresno State enters the matchup as a physical opponent that will likely give USC a much better test than it saw in Week 0. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2025 season in which their defense ranked second nationally in passing yards allowed at 153.8 per game and tied for seventh in the FBS with 26 takeaways. Their offense also brings more firepower than what USC saw in its season opener.

Even with the level of competition beginning to rise, there are still several areas where USC could make a major impact on Friday night.

Three Bold Predictions for USC’s Week 1 Matchup With Fresno State:

Trent Mosley Out-Targets the Vets and Locks Down WR1 Reps

Trent Mosley wasted no time making his presence felt in his USC debut. The true freshman became the first USC freshman since JuJu Smith-Schuster to record more than 100 receiving yards in his debut, finishing with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown against San José State.

USC Trojans Recruiting Lincoln Riley Spring Practice Visit Gavin Williams Trent Mosley Deshonne Redeaux Luke Wafle RJ Sermons — USC Trojans freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley | USC Trojans freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley

Mosley’s breakout came at a time when USC was already dealing with some uncertainty at receiver. Both Tanook Hines and NC State transfer Terrell Anderson were held out of the season opener as a precaution, giving some of USC’s younger receivers an opportunity to take on bigger roles, and Mosley took full advantage of his.

Both Hines and Anderson could be available for Friday night’s matchup with Fresno State, but what Mosley did in the opener will not be ignored. Instead, it will be something the Trojans will look to build on.

USC will want to see if Mosley can put together another strong performance and show that his Week 0 breakout was the start of something bigger rather than just a freshman making the most of his first opportunity.

If Hines and Anderson return, Mosley could see his snaps come down slightly, but still expect him to remain heavily involved in the offense.

Prediction: Against Fresno State’s secondary, Maiava will look to Mosley as his primary security blanket. Even with Hines and other receivers seeing increased rotational snaps, Mosley will lead USC in targets for the second straight week and eclipse 150 all-purpose yards.

USC’s Backfield Hits 200-Plus Rushing Yards

USC’s depth in the backfield was on full display during its season opener. The Trojans finished with 164 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, with Maiava and running backs King Miller, Riley Wormley and Shahn Alston all finding the end zone on the ground.

Miller finished with 15 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown, but he was far from the only running back to make an impact. Senior running back Waymond Jordan averaged 6.0 yards per carry in his return from a season-ending ankle injury. On top of that, Alston and true freshman Deshonne Redeaux also made the most of their opportunities.

Fresno State’s defense is built around its ability to take away the passing game. The Bulldogs ranked No. 2 nationally in pass defense last season and tied for seventh in the FBS with 26 takeaways, so USC will have to be careful about relying too heavily on the passing game.

Prediction: While Fresno State coach Matt Entz’s defensive background is built around stopping the run, USC's offensive line will wear down the Bulldogs under the Coliseum lights. The Trojans will surpass 200 total rushing yards.

Jayden Maiava Records Another 200-Plus Yard Game

Maiava just moved into solo second place in USC history behind Caleb Williams with six career games featuring 200-plus passing yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown.

With his performance against San José State, the junior quarterback moved past USC Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer, who each finished their careers with five games meeting the same statistical benchmark. Maiava reached six in just his 15th start as a Trojan.

Now, the next name in his way is Williams. Williams holds the USC record with 12 games featuring 200-plus passing yards, at least one passing touchdown and at least one rushing touchdown. Maiava still has a ways to go to catch him, but his efficiency in the season opener showed why he could continue climbing the list.

Maiava completed 25-of-29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns against San José State, finishing with an 86.2 percent completion rate and 9.86 yards per attempt. He also spread the ball around to 10 different receivers.

Prediction: Maiava will tally 250 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and another rushing touchdown on Friday, notching his seventh career game with that stat line and taking another step toward Williams’ USC record of 12.

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