USC’s 2026 recruiting class garnered a ton of notoriety heading into the season after they became the first non-SEC school to finish with the No. 1 class in nearly two decades. 

The buzz around the Trojans freshman class picked up momentum in the spring after those that watched them in action, particularly local high school coaches and veterans on the roster, could not stop raving about the new players on campus. 

And it didn’t take long once the fall rolled around to see why there was so much hype around guys that were high school football this time a year ago. It was evident from the jump that this wasn't an ordinary group of freshmen in Los Angeles.

The discussion around USC this season quickly shifted from could they rely on a group of freshmen, to where would they be without their talented freshmen. 

Southern Cal certainly wouldn’t be in playoff contention heading into their Big Ten showdown against No. 9 Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 14. With everything on the line this weekend, the Trojans will once again turn to its young core.

The Impact of USC’s Freshman Class 

It all starts on offense with a trio of former Trinity League stars in receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and tight end Mark Bowman, three of quarterback Jayden Maiava’s four leading pass-catchers. 

Their connection with Maiava was instant from game one, but it stems from a rapport that was built in the offseason. Coach Lincoln Riley credited Maiava for what he’s done with a new crop of pass-catchers this season. 

“I don’t know that there’s enough respect for what he’s doing with this young of a group,” Riley said. “Like, that’s hard to do, man. It’s hard to do. Him kind of making that look — it’s not easy, but he has the ability to make it look easier than what it is with this young of a group and how he’s led those guys into some of these moments against some of the teams we’ve played. I’ve definitely been proud of him.”

Mosley and Dixon-Wyatt add an explosive element that can put a lot of stress of defenses. Mosley in particular is a big play waiting to happen. His 69-yard touchdown on the second play of the game in an upset win over then-No. 2 Ohio State on Oct. 31 set the tone for the game. 

The strength of Indiana’s defense is their defensive line. When Bowman is in the lineup, he’s been like a sixth offensive lineman. The Trojans felt his absence when they finished with negative rushing yards in an upset loss against Wisconsin on Oct. 24. 

USC can’t afford to be one-dimensional and put everything on Maiava’s shoulders. Bowman also poses a big threat in the passing game. He showed off his tremendous athleticism with a 70-yard highlight reel catch-and-run against the Buckeyes. He’s a complete tight end and versatile chess piece in Riley’s offense. 

And after playing in that game on Halloween, Bowman had an additional week to rest up with the Trojans coming off their second bye week. The Mater Dei (Calif.) product played on a snap count after missing the previous three games with a hamstring injury. 

Maiava certainly felt the impact of having his three true freshman back in the lineup together for the first time since late September. 

Left guard had been an issue all season for the Trojans. So, they turned to Kannon Smith, who made his first career start against the Buckeyes and didn’t flinch. Smith shored up an offensive line that had struggled mightily the week prior.

Defensive end Luke Wafle, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class has lived up to the billing. He ranks first amongst freshman in the conference in tackles for loss with 8.5 and second in sacks with 3.0, all of which came in the month of October. 

How the Trojans fair in the trenches will have a massive impact on the outcome against Indiana. Wafle and sophomore Jahkeem Stewart are young, but those two set the tone for Gary Patterson's unit on the defensive front.

Rock Hill has essentially been a co-starter with Chasen Johnson opposite of Jontez Williams at cornerback this season. The former No. 1 ranked cornerback in the 2026 class has been tested this season with matchups against Rutgers’ KJ Duff, Oregon’s Dakorien Moore and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith. 

USC is going to need Hill this week more than ever because the Hoosiers have two uber-talented receivers in Charlie Becker and Nick Harsh, both of whom could be first round picks come April.