Five takeaways from USC’s 42-26 victory over San Jose State

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On Saturday, USC opened up its 2026 season by handling San Jose State 42-26 at the Coliseum. With the victory, the Trojans started off the year 1-0.

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

Taking care of business

Obviously, the most important thing when you play a team the likes of San Jose State is to avoid suffering a historic upset. USC did just that and then some, as the Trojans scored on the opening drive of the game and led the entire way, cruising to a decisive victory.

A star receiver emerges

USC might have its next star receiver, and he happens to be true freshman. In his college football debut, Trent Mosley led the Trojans in receiving, catching seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Maiava very accurate

Playing only the first three quarters, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava kicked off his senior season with one of his most accurate performances. Maiava completed 25 of his 29 pass attempts for 286 yards and two touchdowns.

Wafle impresses in debut

Another true freshman who impressed in his first college football game was defensive lineman Luke Wafle. The former top recruit looked impressive as a pass rusher and finsished with two tackles, one pass defended, and 0.5 tackles for a loss.

Up next

USC will now have a short week, as the Trojans will play their second game of the season on Friday against Fresno State. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. Pacific time on Fox.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Five takeaways from USC’s 42-26 victory over San Jose State

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