BREAKING: Trent Mosley Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week After Dominant Return at Penn State

LOS ANGELES — USC true freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after his standout performance in the Trojans’ 31-23 road victory over Penn State on Saturday night, the conference announced Monday.

The Santa Margarita product made his return after missing three consecutive games (Rutgers, Oregon, and Washington) with a knee injury suffered against Louisiana. He wasted no time making an impact, catching a 19-yard touchdown from Jayden Maiava on USC’s opening drive in front of a record White Out crowd of 114,419 at Beaver Stadium. He finished with a game-high nine receptions for 111 yards and the score, plus a 9-yard rush, accounting for 120 yards from scrimmage.

Mosley’s nine catches represented 43% of USC’s completions, and his 111 receiving yards made up 37% of Maiava’s 301 passing yards. It was his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and the most receptions of his young college career. Through four games, the freshman now has 22 catches for 366 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s one of the best players on our team,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said after the game. “You get one of those guys back, it’s huge. He’s a baller. He didn’t flinch. We’ve got a lot of trust in him, and he’s just a flat-out difference-maker on the field. There’s no other way to say it.”

Mosley opened the season in explosive fashion with 13 catches for 255 yards and four touchdowns across USC’s first three games, including a pair of 100-yard efforts and an 86-yard punt return touchdown against Louisiana before the injury. His return helped the No. 19 Trojans (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) overcome early noise and a strong Penn State defense that ranked among the nation’s best against the pass entering the night.

This is Mosley’s first Big Ten weekly honor. USC’s next game is Oct. 24 at Wisconsin.