3 winners and 2 losers as USC survives a scare in their Big Ten opener

The No. 12 USC Trojans kicked off their Big Ten campaign with a tougher than expected 42-35 victory over Rutgers, successfully navigating the cross-country travel from Los Angeles to New Jersey.

Now sitting at 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in conference play, the Trojans continue their momentum heading into what should be the toughest stretch of the season. We break down the key winners and losers from Saturday’s action-packed matchup.

Winner: The passing game is still on fire

Much of the pre-game discussion centered on the injury status of breakout true freshman Trent Mosley. With Mosley sidelined and his status for upcoming games remaining uncertain, there was legitimate concern regarding how the Trojans' passing attack would fare. However, the offense didn't miss a beat.

Jayden Maiava was sharp, completing 20 passes, with 15 of those receptions going to the wide receiver group. Notably, it was fellow true freshman Kayden Dixon-Wyatt who stepped up to lead the team with five catches for 77 yards. The passing game maintained its rhythm throughout the afternoon, allowing the offense to move the ball with relative ease.

The Trojans could have easily eclipsed the 50 point mark, but they opted to run out the clock after King Miller secured a game-sealing first down late in the fourth quarter.

Winner: Hail to King Miller, Long Live the King!

As for King Miller, he is showing no signs of slowing down. After the Trojans failed to produce a 100-yard rusher in the first two games of the season, Miller has now hit that mark for the second consecutive week. USC tallied 192 total rushing yards, with 102 coming from Miller, while Riley Wormley added 52 yards and two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air.

While much of the preseason conversation centered on a potential committee approach between Miller and Waymond Jordan, that split has not materialized as anticipated. Miller has firmly seized the RB1 role and shows no intention of relinquishing his grasp on the backfield.

Winner: Prophet Brown's pick six came at the perfect time

When compiling these weekly winner and loser recaps, I typically include video support to highlight key performances. However, I’m making an exception for Prophet Brown.

"He's the epitome of a Trojan," Riley said immediately after the game. That is perhaps the highest praise a USC player can receive, and it’s so cool to see Prophet Brown deliver such a pivotal performance in a challenging road game.

After battling through numerous injuries throughout his career, watching him become a defensive cornerstone is truly rewarding. His pick-six served as the definitive momentum shifter. Without that game-changing play, the Trojans might not be heading home with a 4-0 record. As promised, here is the clip of his record-tying interception.

Loser: Gary Patterson's defense is going through growing pains

There are little positives that come out of a day when the Trojans gave up 460 yards. Yes, they forced a couple of turnovers and put points on the board in what was likely a 14-point flip, but 460 yards! Rutgers has not been good this season and the Scarlet Knights were playing for their season, so the effort they brought is commendable, but USC has to be much better on defense. Bending but not breaking is fine, but Gary Patterson's unit broke repeatedly in Week 3. 

Loser: Special teams need to be a little more special

Ok, I'll admit calling a fake punt on 4th-and-20 from your own goal line took some stones. And no team is going to expect that. Still, there has to be some awareness that this was an underdog at home that had nothing to lose.

"I mean, to call a fake on a fourth-and-20 like that — give them credit," Riley said. "They made the play. We weren't in a good call for it, so not a good job on our part, and that kind of let them back in the game."

Special teams are going to be the difference in one of these upcoming games. USC got burned last Saturday, but the Trojans survived with a win. Next time they might not be so lucky. 

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