Positives and negatives from USC’s 39-0 victory over Fresno State

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On Friday, the USC football team defeated Fresno State 39-0 at the Coliseum. With the victory, the Trojans improved to 2-0 on the 2026 season.

What went well for USC, and what went poorly? Here are some positives and negatives from the game:

Positive: Jayden Maiava

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava had perhaps his best statistical performance as a Trojan to date. Playing less than three full quarters of action, Maiava completed 23 of 25 pass attempts for 349 yards and three touchdowns. On the season, USC’s quarterback now has as many total touchdowns (six) as incompletions.

Positive: Trent Mosley

Trent Mosley might already be one of the best wide receivers in the country. For the second consecutive game, he recorded over 100 yards receiving and also found the end zone—this time, doing it twice.

Positive: The defense

Is Fresno State an elite opponent? Absolutely not. But shutting out any team in college football is not easy. Defensive coordinator Gary Patterson deserves his flowers for this performance.

Positive: Safeties

Have you ever seen a defense record not one, but two safeties in a single game? Well, the Trojans did just that!

Negative: Ball security

If there was any area where USC struggled, it was with ball security. The Trojans lost two fumbles, both of which came in Fresno State territory.

Negative: Red zone offense

USC had two trips to the red zone that finished with zero points. That did not cost the Trojans in this one, but it very well might against tougher competition.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Positives and negatives from USC’s 39-0 victory over Fresno State

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