USC’s Defense Finishes What It Started in 39-0 Shutout of Fresno State
By Jason Burrell | South Bay Black Journal
USC’s defense failed to finish its season opener. After holding San Jose State scoreless through three quarters, the Trojans surrendered 26 points in the fourth and allowed a dominant performance to end in disappointment.
They knew they could not let that happen again.
No. 14 USC held Fresno State to 116 total yards, produced two safeties and forced two turnovers in a 39-0 victory at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was the Trojans’ first shutout since their 48-0 victory over Utah State in 2024.
“We played our standard at a higher level tonight,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “I think we played better as a football team than we did in Week 1, and that’s what you’ve got to do.”
Quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 23 of 25 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns as USC improved to 2-0. Freshman receiver Trent Mosley caught four passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns, giving him consecutive 100-yard performances to begin his college career.
STILL PERFECT–Quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 23 of 25 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns as USC improved to 2-0 with its victory over Fresno State at the Coliseum last week and this week the Trojans host another patsy in Louisiana. (Jackson Burrell/Photo)
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, another freshman receiver, added six receptions for 102 yards.
But the clearest sign of USC’s growth came from a defense that did not allow Fresno State to find the end zone, even after the outcome had been decided and the starters had left the field.
The Bulldogs gained only 49 yards through three quarters and averaged 2.6 yards per play for the game. USC stopped the run, pressured quarterback Jayden Mandal and gave its secondary opportunities to play aggressively.
“I thought we were pretty sticky in coverage,” Riley said. “Our front and then our back end really played well together and complemented each other. That’s what really good defense looks like. It was steady with a dose of explosive plays defensively, and that’s a pretty good recipe.”
Safety Kennedy Urlacher supplied several of those explosive plays. The Notre Dame transfer recorded two sacks, including one that resulted in USC’s first safety, and forced a fumble before halftime.
Prophet Brown added the first interception of his college career, an especially meaningful moment for the sixth-year defensive back after an injury cost him the entire 2025 season.
“It meant everything,” Brown said. “I did a lot of stuff behind the scenes. I just worked and worked and stayed focused.”
D LUX–USC cornerback Alex Graham was one of the standouts on a Trojans defensive unit that blanked Fresno State 39-0 at the Coliseum on Sept. 4. (Jackson Burrell/Photo)
The performance also provided an early look at the influence of new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson. Riley said the Trojans did several things well defensively in their opener, but their mistakes often came when players stopped trusting the system.
The film made the lesson difficult to ignore.
“When we trusted and did what we were coached to do, they didn’t move the ball last week,” Riley said. “When you turn on the film and see the times that we got out of that, we didn’t have success.”
Against Fresno State, that trust appeared in the speed and confidence with which USC played. The defensive front disrupted the pocket, while the secondary took advantage of hurried decisions behind it.
“Getting after the quarterback, putting him under pressure and not letting him be comfortable makes our job on the back end a lot easier,” Brown said.
USC established control immediately on offense. Maiava finished the opening drive with a touchdown pass to Tanook Hines before finding Mosley uncovered down the middle for a 68-yard score.
Mosley added a 10-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter. Urlacher then forced a fumble, and Waymond Jordan scored on the ground to send USC into halftime with a 30-0 lead.
Maiava played only one series after halftime. Through two games, USC’s starting quarterback has passed for 635 yards and five touchdowns while completing 88.9% of his attempts.
TOUCHDOWN U–Trent Mosley added a 10-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter. Urlacher then forced a fumble, and Waymond Jordan scored on the ground to send USC into halftime with a 30-0 lead. The Trojans improved to 2-0 with their Sept. 4 victory at Coliseum. (Jackson Burrell/Photo)
Maiava credited his early efficiency to USC’s offensive line, running backs, receivers and the freedom Riley has given him to play confidently within the offense.
“We’re all on the same page and playing at a really high level,” Maiava said. “But obviously, there are some things to clean up that we want to get better at.”
USC committed two fumbles and failed to convert short-yardage opportunities in Fresno State territory. Riley said those mistakes cannot follow the Trojans when the competition becomes more demanding.
The defense, however, refused to let the mistakes become points.
That determination remained visible during Fresno State’s final possession, when USC’s reserves protected the shutout with a goal-line stand. It was more than a statistical achievement for a group that had watched a commanding opening-day performance unravel after the starters departed.
“The guys that got opportunities there at the end of the game were awesome,” Riley said. “To stop them right there in the red zone with the stop on downs was tremendous.”
That final stand completed the lesson USC began learning one week earlier: A standard only matters if it survives substitutions, adversity, and the temptation to relax when victory appears secure.
“The group felt a little bit of disappointment in the locker room last week that we didn’t play to our standard, especially in the fourth quarter,” Riley said. “That’s a beautiful thing about football. You have these experiences, then you learn from them, and then you grow.”
Against Fresno State, USC did not simply start fast. This time, the Trojans finished.
