Fresh off a convincing Week 0 win against San Jose State University, USC football came into a rare Friday-night kickoff on short rest, looking to continue its momentum in Week 1. 

The Trojans (2-0) faced a familiar foe on Fresno State University’s (0-1) sideline, as Bulldog Head Coach Matt Entz is a former USC assistant coach for defense and linebackers.

While the Trojans started relatively slowly, only scoring one touchdown and fumbling in the first quarter, their 23-point second quarter put the game out of reach en route to a 39-0 victory over Fresno State.

Redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava continued to show why he is one of the best at his position in the country, completing 23-of-25 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns despite playing just one drive in the second half.

Maiava distributed the ball to 11 different receivers, but has had his favorite targets throughout the first two games: freshman wide receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. 

Mosley recorded another 100-yard game, finishing the contest with 104 yards and two touchdowns on four catches, while Dixon-Wyatt hauled in 102 yards on six catches — the most by any Trojan receiver on the night.

Maiava also found a familiar target in sophomore wide receiver Tanook Hines, who made his return to the field Friday with a touchdown catch that kicked off the scoring. 

While the air attack accounted for most of the USC offense, the ground game was solid, as redshirt senior running back Waymond Jordan and redshirt sophomore running back King Miller combined for over 110 yards on the ground and a touchdown. 

On the other side of the ball, Defensive Coordinator Gary Patterson led a defensive masterclass for the Trojans, shutting out the Bulldogs — the first time USC has shut out a team since 2024 — while forcing three turnovers and two safeties on only 116 total yards allowed.  

The domination stemmed from the safety position, as junior Kennedy Urlacher and redshirt freshman Alex Graham left their mark on the game. Urlacher recorded two sacks, forcing a fumble on one and a safety on the other, while Graham also recorded a sack that caused the other safety. 

The offense and defense worked in tandem Friday, both controlling the game from the jump and, unlike last week, finishing the game with intensity. 

The Trojans will continue their homestand with a matchup against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.