The USC Trojans welcomed back former head coach Clay Helton on Saturday afternoon in a matchup against the Georgia Southern Eagles. Georgia Southern struck first, scoring within the opening two minutes. But once USC settled into rhythm, the Trojans took control and never looked back, cruising to a 59-20 victory at the Coliseum.
Photo Cred: USC
Quarterback Jayden Maiva wasn’t quite as sharp as in his season-opening debut, but he still showcased poise and command. Maiva completed 16 of 24 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns—a career high that surpassed his previous best of 360 yards against Notre Dame last season, according to USC Athletics. Freshman quarterback Husan Longstreet also contributed, going 4-of-6 through the air and rushing for 34 yards in limited action.
USC’s receiving corps delivered highlight after highlight. Makai Lemon hauled in a 74-yard reception in the first quarter—the longest of his career—finishing with four catches for 158 yards. Junior wideout Ja’Kobi Lane added a one-handed touchdown grab among his three receptions, totaling 91 yards.
“At times at receiver, there are plays where that’s the only way you’re going to get it, and that’s great,” said USC head coach Lincoln Riley. “But it’s not something we want to rely on. The highlight was phenomenal, but we want the high percentage.”
On the ground, running back Waymond Jordan continued to establish himself as a leader in the Trojan offense, rushing for 162 yards on 16 carries. Jordan’s day began with a costly fumble on the opening kickoff, setting up Georgia Southern’s first score, but he rebounded strongly.
“This is kind of the first adversity that he’s had here,” Riley said. “He was disappointed about the fumble, but he’s typically very responsible with the ball. I didn’t have a problem showing confidence in him, and our guys made sure he didn’t get down. He came back ready to go.”
For Georgia Southern, quarterback JC French IV struggled under USC’s defensive pressure. He completed 19 of 35 passes and added 179 rushing yards but couldn’t keep pace with Maiva. Backup quarterback Turner Helton, son of Clay Helton, contributed 4 completions on 9 attempts for 24 rushing yards. Wide receivers Camden Brown (three receptions, two touchdowns) and Dalen Cobb (six receptions, one touchdown) provided the Eagles’ offensive highlights.
Despite the loss, Clay Helton praised his team’s growth through two tough road games.
“These first two games were kind of a training test for us—being on the road, being far away, going through some adversity,” Helton said. “Our kids handled it well. We all wanted better results, but to see their growth from week one to week two, how they bonded—that’s just going to make us a better football team.”
Photo Cred: 247 Sports
Georgia Southern’s defense posed more resistance than USC’s Week 1 opponent, Missouri State, but it wasn’t enough to slow the Trojans’ high-powered attack. Linebacker Eric Gentry led the way for USC with 10 solo tackles, while redshirt senior safety Bishop Fitzgerald added six. For Georgia Southern, linebacker Brandon Tyson tallied nine solo tackles and two assists, and veteran Brendon Harrington chipped in eight stops.
