USC’s Luke Wafle Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week After Closing Stops in Win Over Washington

LOS ANGELES, CA— Luke Wafle did not need a highlight package to make the case. He made it on the last possession.

The true freshman defensive end has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after recording five tackles, a career-high 2.0 tackles for loss and his first sack as a Trojan in No. 19 USC’s 25-21 win over Washington on Saturday night at the Coliseum. It is the first weekly conference honor of his career.

Washington still had a chance. USC was protecting a four-point lead, and Demond Williams Jr. was trying to author the drive that would flip the night. Wafle ended that idea in three snaps.

He sacked Williams for a 2-yard loss. After the Huskies crossed midfield, he stopped Williams for a 1-yard loss at the USC 30. On the next play, he was in on the tackle again. Three stops on the final possession. Two of them behind the line of scrimmage. Washington never reached the end zone.

The Trojans (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) had spent most of the night climbing out of a hole. They trailed 21-10 in the third quarter before Jayden Maiava found Tanook Hines and Jahkeem Stewart returned a fumble 48 yards for the go-ahead score. The defense finished it. USC’s pass rush brought Williams down five times. Wafle’s sack was the one that mattered most.

Four of his five tackles were solo. He led the Trojans in tackles for loss on the night.

That is the version of Wafle the Trojans recruited. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound edge from Middletown, New Jersey, and The Hun School of Princeton arrived as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 class and a day-one starter opposite Kameryn Crawford. Through six games he leads USC with 4.5 tackles for loss. His 22 tackles are the most among Trojan defensive linemen and third on the team.

The production has not been a one-week spike. He had seven tackles against Louisiana. He had a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit in the loss to Oregon. Saturday was the first time the splash plays stacked on the same drive that decided the game.

USC is the third different program to claim Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors this season, and the third time a Trojan has taken it. Mark Bowman won it on Sept. 14. Riley Wormley won it on Sept. 21. Wafle makes it three freshmen in five weeks.

The next test is not a home crowd. No. 19 USC travels to Penn State for a White Out on Saturday, Oct. 10, with a 4:30 p.m. PT kickoff on NBC. The Nittany Lions are 3-2 and 0-2 in conference play. Beaver Stadium will be loud. Wafle has already shown he does not need quiet to find the quarterback.