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In a defining moment of their 2026 campaign, the No. 19 USC Trojans, under head coach Lincoln Riley, secured a 31-23 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium. The win elevates USC's record to 6-1, with their sole loss coming against the No. 13 Oregon Ducks, and keeps them firmly in the College Football Playoff discussion.
Following the triumph, several USC players were seen celebrating alongside members of the Trojan marching band as they made their way to the locker room. USC's renowned marching band has long been celebrated for its strong traveling support, and that reputation was on full display in the Trojans' win over the Nittany Lions.
Key Analysis
Riley described the victory as one of the most satisfying of his coaching career, especially given the hostile whiteout environment at Penn State. He praised the atmosphere and credited the Nittany Lions and their fans, but emphasized his team's resilience. 'One of my favorite wins as a head coach, no question, for so many reasons. Obviously, it's a phenomenal atmosphere. It's as good as it gets there. Credit to Penn State and their fans. But proud of our team, man,' Riley said. 'We didn't listen to all you guys had to say on the outside. This group doesn't really care. Nobody in the world gave us a chance to come in and win this game. We did it our way. We won on our terms, and I'm really damn proud of this football team. The best is ahead for this group. This will be a big spark for us going into the bye week and this next stretch of the season. But huge contributions on all sides. This is a tough place to play and a really hard place to win. You've got to really outplay them to beat them.'
Quarterback Jayden Maiava bounced back from a shaky performance in the 25-21 win over Washington, throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-33 passing. The wide receivers were instrumental, particularly true freshman Trent Mosley, who returned from a knee injury to lead the team with nine receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. 'How awesome is he? He was really key to the win. We didn't know he'd play until warm-ups. It was out of thin air, a little bit. He was ready to go. Everyone knows on this roster that he's a hard-nosed competitor. And he played his butt off; a lot of guys did. And in that environment? You can't say enough about him,' Riley remarked.
With season-ending injuries to Corey Simms and Terrell Anderson, other receivers stepped up: Tanook Hines contributed four catches for 82 yards and a score, while Kayden Dixon Wyatt added two receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown. Running back King Miller also had a strong outing with 19 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown, providing a boost to USC's ground game.
The Trojans now head into their first bye week before traveling to Camp Randall Stadium to face the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday, Oct. 24.