This article was updated with quotes on Sept. 19. 2026 at 6:31 p.m.
USC survived its conference opener in Piscataway, New Jersey against Rutgers Saturday at SHI Stadium off the back of an opportunistic defense and a balanced offense to stay undefeated on the season. The Scarlet Knights ran the ball well, but couldn’t keep up in a second-half shootout against the Trojans.
Rutgers kept the game close throughout the competition in the second half, but their early mistakes haunted them as the Trojans escaped with a 42-35 victory.
USC senior safety Christian Pierce was the star of the first half with six tackles, a pass deflection and an interception, leading to redshirt sophomore running back King Miller’s third rushing touchdown of the season. Pierce finished the game with 11 tackles, leading both teams.
Pierce’s fellow redshirt senior safety Prophet Brown caught an interception of his own in the third quarter, returning it 99 yards for a Trojan touchdown, tying the longest interception return record for the Trojans. He finished the game with four tackles. Both safeties played downhill and aggressively throughout the game, taking away the Scarlet Knights’ quick throws.
Those two interceptions added to Rutgers’ senior quarterback Dylan Lonergan’s interception total to five in two games. The Scarlet Knights leaned into the run game, tallying 168 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
“[We] gave up too many big plays defensively, [I’m] not pleased with how we played there,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said in the postgame press conference. “We made some big ones; obviously the pick-6 was massive. Christian [Pierce]’s interception was really good.”
Despite the turnovers, the Scarlet Knights scored 35 points against the Trojans, a season-high points allowed for the Trojans and a season-high scoring for Rutgers.
The Rutgers offense ran through junior running back Antwan Raymond with 122 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Junior wide receiver KJ Duff was one of the few receiving bright spots for the Scarlet Knights. He ended the afternoon with seven catches for 86 yards and a touchdown.
“There are no moral victories. I don’t want to hear about that; that doesn’t apply,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said in the postgame press conference. “We fully expected to win this game, and it hurts that we didn’t, but we’re learning.”
The Trojans kept a balanced offense, rushing the ball 31 times while having 32 pass attempts.
USC proved their running back room is a three-headed monster, as Miller, senior Waymond Jordan and redshirt freshman Riley Wormley combined for 202 total yards and three touchdowns.
On the receiving end, freshman receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt made some contested catches and sophomore receiver Corey Simms had his breakout game. Dixon-Wyatt finished with five catches for 77 yards, while Simms brought in four catches for 72 yards and an aggressive catch and run for a touchdown, both stepping up in the absence of freshman star wide receiver Trent Mosley.
The game wouldn’t come without some trouble, as late in the third quarter, the Trojans converted a third down with 13 Scarlet Knights defenders on the field. However, a referee blew their whistle while the ball was airborne. The referees ruled to replay the down, leaving USC head coach Lincoln Riley agitated.
The refs would then call the violation on the field, leading to another opportunity for the Trojans, which they could not convert. On 4th down, the Trojans drew an offside for a free play. Redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava would complete a rainbow pass to Dixon-Wyatt down the sideline for a 32-yard gain.
USC’s final drive required only one third-down conversion to burn the final four minutes of the match. Maiava fumbled the snap on the first kneel-down, but recovered it to close the contest.
Even with the high-scoring affair, USC’s pair of takeaways in the first half kept the Scarlet Knights at arm’s length throughout the competition.
USC will return home to host the No. 21-ranked Oregon Ducks on Sept. 26 at 4:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Edited by Sammie Vassallo and Adriana Brady