GAME RECAP: #14 USC Opens Up 2026 With a Victory in the Coliseum vs the Spartans

by Colin Costigan

LOS ANGELES, CA-

The USC Trojans stampede the San Jose State Spartans 42-26 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday to kick off their 2026 campaign.

Spearheaded by the ground game and their tenacious 4-2-5 signature defense, the Trojans took command of the game early and led by as much as 35-3 by the end of the third quarter.

Under center, redshirt senior Jayden Maiava controlled the pace of the game, completing 25 of his 29 passes for 286 yards with two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown before getting subbed out for the final quarter. Maiava spread the wealth, finding eight different targets in the first half alone

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The nation’s highest-rated recruiting class was the true formidable force in this one. Among the 44 freshmen and 22 transfers, four true freshmen found the back of the end zone for the Trojans.

RBs Riley Wormley and Shahn Alston, paired with WRs Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley, all cemented themselves in their first taste of collegiate action at Troy.

For the reigning CIF-SS Division I Offensive Player of the Year at Rancho Santa Margarita High School, Mosley had perhaps the biggest impact in this game.

His speed alone, alongside his innate ability to cut through the gaps against the zone, made him a reliable target for Maiava in the short game, allowing him to rack up yards after the catch. He finished with a game-high 118 yards on just seven receptions with a touchdown.

Coupled with their nation-leading 15 returners, it was returning RB King Miller who reigned supreme in the backfield, with a rushing high of 63 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. Despite limiting the outside run, he fought through contact up the middle and picked up key first downs, including a fourth-down conversion on their third drive to keep it alive en route to their second touchdown.

The focal point of this game came on the Spartans’ third drive. After just a mere 11 total yards through their first two drives without a first down, San Jose State worked up a 14-play, 66-yard drive down to the USC 7-yard line, but came to a halt when DE Jide Abasiri blasted the fourth-down run to force the turnover on downs.

This would ignite the Trojans’ longest scoring drive of the game, a 12-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a Dixon-Wyatt 9-yard TD reception to make it 21-0. From there, the Trojans’ first defensive unit yielded just 31 yards and three points across the Spartans’ next three drives.

The Spartans and QB Luke Weaver took advantage of the Trojans’ second unit in the fourth quarter, with a pair of passing TDs to WRs Jerry McClure and Jordan Anderson before running one in himself from seven yards out within the final two minutes. Weaver finished 21-for-32 with 234 passing yards and three total touchdowns.

USC remains undefeated against San Jose State and now leads the series 7-0. They also earned their 101st season-opening victory, while Head Coach Lincoln Riley improved to 10-0 in season openers.

With an established dominance against Mountain West opponents at 38-1-1 all-time, the Trojans have a short week ahead as Fresno State, the lone Mountain West team to ever defeat USC, comes to Troy on Friday, Sept. 4.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.live on FOX