USC football improved markedly from its first game to its second game. The Trojans delivered an encouraging, forward-moving performance against Fresno State. It wasn't a perfect game by any means, with the offensive line and the secondary showing obvious room for improvement and course corrections. However, the overall product was strong. The defense pitched a shutout. The pass rush was effective. Jayden Maiava thrived. All of these puzzle pieces coming together in one game left a positive impression. UCLA Wire editor Dylan McNeill was impressed.
"It’s still early in the 2026 season but it’s been an impressive start for the Trojans," McNeill told us. "After the USC backups allowed some cosmetic scoring against San Jose State, the Trojans didn’t
let it happen again against Fresno State, securing the shutout win. USC will have a couple more low-stakes matchups before diving into their highly-anticipated showdown versus Oregon. Lincoln Riley has his team excelling so far but the Trojans’ season will largely come down to how they fare versus Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. USC should enter those matchups with some confidence though, as the Trojans’ defense looks improved under new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has played near flawless football, completing 89% of his passes, being sacked just once and tallying up six total touchdowns through the first two games of the year. All in all, it’s been a very clean start to the season for the Trojans but there wasn’t a doubt that USC would be better than San Jose State or Fresno State, the real test is still to come."
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: UCLA football writer is impressed by USC after two 2026 games
