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In No. 14 USC Trojans’ 49-30 win over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, senior quarterback Jayden Maiava had a slight dip in his renowned efficiency but still finished the game completing 19-of-29 passes (65.5 completion percentage), 261 yards, five touchdowns and an interception.
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Following the game, the signal caller was visibly unhappy with his performance and credited his team for a career-high night. Now, Maiava has his attention set to conference games.
Career High Touchdowns in a Single Game
Maiava’s five touchdowns were a career high for the senior. Another impressive note on the career milestone was that four of the five scores came from true freshmen – tight end Mark Bowman pulled in two in the first half, receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt was in the right place at the right time for his 19-yard touchdown while Trent Mosley ended his dry spell with a 21-yard score.
“It definitely didn’t feel like that, but shout out to the guys up front, running back room and receivers for being able to trust me to get them the ball,” Maiava said about his performance.
It may not have been the most efficient night for the senior, at least from what fans have come to expect, but there was no clear No. 1 target for Maiava in the game which is a testament to Maiava’s career night.
Bowman led the pass catching group with six receptions for 83 yards, Dixon-Wyatt tallied three catches for 43 yards while Mosley had two receptions for 33 yards. Tight ends Tucker Ashcraft, Carson Tabaracci and wide receiver Zacharyus Williams also logged a catch. Redshirt-freshman Riley Wormley was also productive out of the backfield with three receptions for 24 yards.
As Maiava mentioned, the running back room aided in his big night. The unit as a whole rushed for 214 yards. King Miller led the group with 128 yards off 18 carries while scoring a touchdown. Behind him was Waymond Jordan – 10 carries for 47 yards. The efficiency of the run game made play-action highly effective, which snowballed into Bowman’s big day as well.
Entering Conference Games
The Trojans will be on the road for the first time this season against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sept. 19. This will also be the start of Big Ten conference games for USC.
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“Yeah, I just think that we need to continue to stack the day. You know, stay the course, be present in the moment. Trust our coaches, trust our preparation. Just one day at a time,” Maiava said about entering conference play.
Following Rutgers, the Trojans will be back at home and host their former Pac-12 Rival Oregon Ducks on Sept. 26. After a shaky Week 1 performance then being upset by the Oklahoma State Cowboys 39-31 in Week 2, this game may be starting to shift in USC’s favor.
No. 19 Washington will come into town next on Oct. 3. Then Southern Cal will be on the road for back-to-back weeks – at Penn State (Oct. 10) and at Wisconsin (Oct. 24).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava’s Surprising Reaction to Reaching New Career High.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM.