It was a very impressive victory for the USC Trojans on Saturday. Yet, there are some aspects of this game that caused concern for USC fans. The Trojans did exactly what they were supposed to do and dominated a lesser opponent, Missouri State, for all but a couple minutes in the first quarter.
The Trojans’ offense looked just as prolific as we expected it to look. The Trojans have multiple guys that can catch a pass and take it the distance. We really saw how deep this Trojan team is. That is scary for the entire Big Ten. Eli Sanders caught a pass and took it 73 yards, Lake McRee had 2 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown, and King Miller had 4 rushes for 80 yards and a touchdown as well.
Jayden Maiava is one of the most supported quarterbacks in college football; he has an embarrassment of riches. Maiava looked solid overall. He had 2 passing touchdowns and threw for 295 yards on 15/19 passing attempts in the first half alone. Maiava shined, but there still might be more excitement for freshman quarterback Husan Longstreet. He was 9/9 throwing for 69 yards and a touchdown. Longstreet also showed how dangerous his legs are; he ran for two touchdowns and 54 yards.
The exciting thing about the Trojans is you see that this team can compete this year, but you also have so many young talented freshmen who are displaying star-level abilities early in the season. Mix the young talented players on this roster with the No. 1 recruiting class in 2026, and the Trojans can be up there with Penn State and Ohio State soon.
The Trojans displayed a top offense in college football and a very stout defense that made some mistakes. Once they are healthier — several important players missed the Missouri State game with injuries — they can single handedly win the Trojans several games this season. As a Trojan fan you have to be encouraged by what you saw Saturday night.
