Five takeaways from USC’s 31-23 road victory over Penn State

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On Saturday night, the USC football team defeated Penn State 31-23 in State College, Pennsylvania. With the victory, the Trojans improved to 6-1 on the 2026 season and 3-1 in Big Ten play.

What did we learn from the game? Here are a few key takeaways:

Winning on the road

Entering the game, USC had a 4-7 record on the road since joining the Big Ten. Saturday night in Happy Valley, the Trojans finally got the big road victory that they had been in desperate need of.

Give Lincoln Riley credit

USC head coach Lincoln Riley has certainly drawn plenty of criticism over the past few weeks, much of it deserved. On Saturday night, however, he was definitely the better coach on the field, outdueling Penn State’s Matt Campbell.

Mosley makes a difference

Playing in his first game in nearly a month, freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley showed why USC’s offense is simply not the same without him. Mosley caught nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in the victory.

Finishing strong

The Trojans outscored Penn State 14-3 over the final 25 minutes of the contest. When the game was on the line, USC’s playmakers came up clutch.

Much improved discipline

After struggling significantly with penalties the past three weeks, USC was much better in that area against Penn State. The Trojans committed just three penalties for 25 yards in the victory.

Up next

After seven games in seven weeks, USC will now enjoy a much-needed week off. The Trojans will then head to Wisconsin on October 24.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Five takeaways from USC’s 31-23 road victory over Penn State

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