Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where we have officially reached the end of the USC’s regular season. A 9-3 finish for USC is better than we predicted in this space. But the season played out largely the way we expected. The one win we missed — Michigan — we acknowledged, at the time, was a toss-up.
We talked last week about whether USC could consider its season a success with a win over UCLA. So before we turn the page to 2026, let’s take a deeper look at each position group, who stood out, who surprised, and where USC needs to look for help in the portal next month.
Quarterback
Overall grade: B+
MVP: Jayden Maiava
Outlook: There were glimpses of greatness from Maiava, who has all the physical tools to be a difference-maker. He improved his decision-making in his first full season as starter and made far fewer mistakes while still regularly hitting big plays down the field. But Maiava struggled on the road and had his best games against lesser defenses.
USC will have a decision to make this offseason with five-star freshman Husan Longstreet waiting in the wings. Riley surely would prefer both to stay, but it’s not often that happens. Longstreet may look elsewhere if USC commits to Maiava for next season. But Maiava still could entertain entering the draft — or even the transfer portal, if USC indicates it would rather not risk losing Longstreet.
Running back
Overall grade: A
MVP: King Miller
Surprise standout: Miller
Outlook: When USC lost Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders to injury for what turned out to be the rest of the regular season, it could have spelled disaster for the rushing attack. But Miller ensured that wasn’t the case. The walk-on needs just 127 yards in the bowl game to cross the 1,000-yard mark, and I expect USC will try to get him there. But how the Trojans approach the backfield next year is anyone’s guess.
Miller presumably returns, while Jordan’s injury means he could run it back too. That pair alone is exciting before you factor in the young backs in the room. USC already likes freshmen Harry Dalton and Riley Wormley and has two dynamic four-stars incoming in Deshonne Redeaux and Shahn Alston. It’s likely that we see some attrition in this group, but USC can weather that.
Receiver/Tight end
Overall grade: A
MVP: Makai Lemon
Surprise standout: Tanook Hines
Outlook: There weren’t many receiver duos in the country more dangerous than Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, and USC fed them accordingly, as they accounted for more than half of the Trojans’ production through the air. Tight end Lake McRee also had his best season at USC and presumably should be drafted come spring. But what happens if all three leave for the NFL?
The receiver room definitely will look a lot different next year, with freshman Hines presumably pairing with one of the top available receivers in the transfer portal. After a breakout sophomore year, tight end Walker Lyons would have a huge role waiting for him, assuming he sticks around. The rest of the rotation, though, is totally undetermined, leaving open the possibility that a freshman could emerge. Speedy four-star Santa Margarita wideout Trent Mosley and Texas four-star Ethan Feaster both have the potential to make an immediate impact.
Offensive line
Overall grade: B
MVP: Tobias Raymond
Surprise standout: Kilian O’Connor
Outlook: After fully expecting USC’s offensive line to be its most glaring weakness, I have to applaud the tremendous work of line coach Zach Hanson. USC already was thin and inexperienced before it lost its best lineman, left tackle Elijah Paige, for half of the season. USC played two different centers and four different guards, while Raymond ended up starting at three positions. Yet that patchwork front still gave up just 15 sacks this season — half as many as Caleb Williams took in 2022 or 2023.
The line should only be stronger next season after its valiant effort in this one. Assuming no one bails for the portal, USC could have all five starters back. But I expect USC will try to upgrade in the portal — perhaps at center — while also trusting its in-house development. If Paige returns, he’ll be the left tackle, but right tackle could be up for grabs. Sophomore Justin Tauanuu was solid in that spot, but he could be pushed by freshmen Elijah Vaikona, Aaron Dunn and Alex Payne. Not to mention incoming top-10 prospect Keenyi Pepe. One thing is certain: After years without a real plan up front, the future finally looks bright.
Defensive line
Overall grade: C+
MVP: Anthony Lucas
Surprise standout: Floyd Boucard/Jahkeem Stewart
Outlook: USC’s pass rush started strongly, notching 20 sacks in its first six games. But the pressure petered out after that. So did the run defense — USC had one of the worst in the Power Four down the stretch, as the Big Ten’s best offenses exposed serious issues on the interior. Those will have to be addressed, presumably in the portal, if Riley hopes to compete in the conference next year.
But there are young pieces here, plus prospects on the way, that could be the makings of a much better front seven. Stewart and Boucard both flashed as freshmen and should play much bigger roles next season. USC also has two big-time prospects joining the interior in four-star freshmen Tomuhini Topui and Jameion Winfield.
What USC really needs, and has lacked for a while, is a dominant player rushing off the edge. Could it find that in the portal? Could freshman Luke Wafle step in right away? Or are Kameryn Crawford and Braylan Shelby bound to be better? The answers to those questions could determine the direction of USC’s defense.
Linebacker
Overall grade: D+
MVP: Eric Gentry
Surprise standout: Jadyn Walker
Outlook: We knew USC didn’t have much depth at linebacker, but what we didn’t account for was the starting corps struggling most of the season. Gentry was the best of the group but didn’t have a standout season by his standards, in part because he was asked to fill in for a number of other roles on USC’s defense. Desman Stephens looked lost at times in the middle, and while Walker showed his hard-hitting potential, he also made his share of mistakes.
Gentry won’t be easy to replace, both as the best linebacker on USC’s defense and its most vocal leader. It’s possible that USC finds a transfer to take over in Stephens’ spot and makes a bet that one of its young freshmen emerges in the offseason. Matai Tagoa’i is a prime candidate after he impressed with limited reps, while freshman Talanoa Ili is regarded as one of the top linebackers in the incoming class.
Secondary
Overall grade: B-
MVP: Bishop Fitzgerald
Surprise standout: Christian Pierce
Outlook: It looked grim at first, as USC’s young corners tried to work out the kinks. But the Trojans took discernible steps in the secondary and have reasons to feel optimistic. Fitzgerald’s five interceptions were significant, even if his risk-taking got him into trouble a few times, and Kamari Ramsey did yeoman’s work by filling in at slot corner while injuries ravaged the rotation.
Safety should be in good hands with Kennedy Urlacher and Pierce expected to return, but there will be questions at cornerback. Top cover corner DeCarlos Nicholson departs, but Chasen Johnson should return from injury and step into a starting spot. Marcelles Williams also improved over the season. But cornerback is a position at which USC could try to add via the portal.
Special teams
Overall grade: B-
MVP: Ryon Sayeri
Surprise standout: Sayeri
Outlook: No one anticipated Sayeri becoming one of the most consistent kickers in the Big Ten after he stepped in for freshman All-American Caden Chittenden. Now Sayeri seems locked in for the foreseeable future. That’s the good news.
USC will lose its most dynamic returner as Lemon leaves, and it had more than its share of issues elsewhere on special teams over the second half. It won’t be able to weather those next year, when its schedule could be one of the toughest in the nation.
Makai Lemon makes a catch while under pressure from Iowa defensive back Zach Lutmer.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
—The Alamo Bowl is USC’s likeliest option for bowl season. Believe it or not, in 15 years of the Alamo Bowl choosing teams from the Pac-12, it never has selected USC. That makes this a match made in monetary heaven for the Alamo, which surely will jump at the chance to take the Trojans. The Holiday Bowl, on Jan. 2, is still a possibility. But the likeliest option is San Antonio on Dec. 30. See you on the Riverwalk.
—We’ve almost certainly seen the last of Makai Lemon at USC. Lemon started his final game in cardinal and gold on the sideline, suspended along with fellow wideout Ja’Kobi Lane for a team rules violation. Lemon eventually scored a touchdown on a beautiful back shoulder pass, but that was his only catch Saturday. He hadn’t been held to a single reception in a game since Week 1 of 2024, which is unfortunate timing as Biletnikoff voters consider him as a finalist for the award. But on the whole, Lemon’s performance this season is undoubtedly one of the best by a USC receiver in recent memory. His ability to separate and create after the catch will ensure that he carves out a future in the NFL.
—Who else might not play in the bowl game? Linebacker Eric Gentry told the postgame radio crew at USC that he wanted to help the team win a 10th game, so it seems he’ll be coming back. But there are quite a few who will be uncertain. Left tackle Elijah Paige, center Kilian O’Connor and safety Bishop Fitzgerald likely are out because of injury, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more injured players come out of the woodwork. Safety Kamari Ramsey is presumably bound for the NFL, in addition to playing through an injury — I don’t expect we’ll see him either. Tight end Lake McRee is NFL-bound too, but like Gentry, he could want to finish what he started. And then there’s Lane, who has a decision to make on the draft. It’s unclear how the NFL will feel about his performance this season, which I’d argue was disappointing relative to his talent.
—Winning the Maui Invitational was a great sign for the Trojans’ trajectory in Year 2 under Eric Musselman. USC‘s men’s basketball team won three games against quality competition in Hawaii and did so with contributions up and down its rotation. Rodney Rice scored 27 to lead the Trojans past Boise State. Ezra Ausar had 25, including 15 at the free-throw line, to beat Seton Hall, and Chad Baker-Mazara had 23 in the final against Arizona State. USC is 7-0, off to its best start since 2022, and its offense has been surprisingly balanced. That’s a good sign for when the schedule stiffens next month. But the Trojans very well could be 13-0 by that point. Just one of their next six opponents is inside the top 85 of Ken Pomeroy’s college basketball rankings.
—Could Vivian Iwuchuwu be the starting big that Lindsay Gottlieb needs? Gottlieb has used a four-guard lineup more than ever this season, mostly because the USC women are totally unproven in the frontcourt. But Iwuchukwu’s last two performances have been especially encouraging. She’s nine for 10, with 20 points in 29 minutes. She could stand to be more active on the glass — zero rebounds against Pepperdine won’t cut it — but her development offensively is trending in the right direction.
Olympic sports spotlight
USC women’s volleyball wrapped up its best season since 2017 with a pair of wins over Michigan and Michigan State. The Trojans’ 24 wins put them in a tie for third place in the Big Ten, behind only No. 1 Nebraska and No. 10 Wisconsin and earned them a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, which begins Thursday.
USC opens against No. 13 seed Princeton and could face rival UCLA if all breaks right in its bracket. That would be a godsend considering the alternative awaiting in the Round of 16: No. 1 seed Kentucky, which has won 22 in a row.
Survey results
We asked: Do you consider USC’s football season to be a success, even without a playoff bid?
After 886 votes, an amazing result: an exact tie. There were 443 yes votes and 443 no votes.
Yes, 50%
No, 50%
In case you missed it
Hernández: USC beat UCLA, but Lincoln Riley is still losing the battle for relevance
No. 17 USC knocks out scrappy UCLA to clinch rivalry victory, nine-win season
Will Jayden Maiava and Husan Longstreet remain USC’s top quarterbacks?
Chad Baker-Mazara leads USC to Maui Invitational title
Jazzy Davidson has her first double-double as USC rolls past Tennessee Tech
What I’m watching this week
Battle of Long Island in 1776. Painting by Alonzo Chappel, 1860. For PBS’ “The American Revolution.”
(Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History)
You might think you know what happened in the American Revolution. But after watching Ken Burns’ latest docuseries, “The American Revolution,” it quickly became clear that my grade-school syllabus didn’t really give the full picture of what happened in 1776 and beyond.
The real story, it turns out, is much grittier — and makes you realize how much had to go right for the revolution to be the success that it was. If you’re a fan of Burns or of history in general, then this is a must-watch.
Until next time …
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.