No. 12 USC Holds Off Rutgers 42-35
13 sourcesUpdated Sep 20, 2026
No. 12 USC held off winless Rutgers 42-35 in the teams’ Big Ten opener, improving to 4-0 while the Scarlet Knights fell to 0-3. Jayden Maiava passed for 277 yards and two touchdowns, King Miller rushed for 102 yards and a score, and Riley Wormley added a rushing and receiving touchdown. Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted twice, including Prophet Brown’s 99-yard pick-six that halted a potential go-ahead drive. USC’s defense allowed 460 yards, several explosive plays and touchdowns on five of Rutgers’ scoring opportunities, raising concerns ahead of next week’s matchup with Oregon. Freshman USC receiver Trent Mosley missed the game with a knee injury, though the Trojans’ offense produced enough to preserve the victory.
Where do you stand?
How it spread
What each side asserts, disputes — or leaves out entirely.
Whose framing of this story rings truest to you?
Rutgers showed real fight in their first Big Ten game and should build on this effort.
USC's defense looked shaky against Rutgers and needs big fixes before Oregon comes to town.
