Early Look at MSU's 2025 Opponents: USC

USC lost quarterback Mason Moss, who transferred to Louisville, but is returning redshirt junior Jayden Maiava, who replaced Moss as the Trojans' starter for the final four games of their 2024 campaign.

The Trojans also brought in one of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2025, local quarterback Husan Longstreet, who was a five-star prospect. They also added transfer redshirt senior Sam Huard from Utah. He is a former five-star prospect who was one of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2021.

USC fell victim to the transfer portal when it lost wide receivers Zachariah Branch and Duce Washington, who transferred to Georgia and Florida State, respectively, as well as all-conference offensive linemen Emmanuel Pregnon, and Mason Murphy, who transferred to Oregon and Auburn, respectively, defensive lineman Bear Alexander, who transferred to Oregon, and running back Quentin Joyner, who transferred to Texas Tech, among others.

But the Trojans also utilized the portal big time, landing defensive tackles Keeshawn Silver, a redshirt senior from Kentucky, and Jamaal Jarrett, a redshirt sophomore from Georgia, along with redshirt senior offensive linemen DJ Wingfield from Purdue. and J'Onre Reed from Syracuse, among others.

USC landed 16 transfers from the portal.

Along with Joyner, the Trojans also lost all-conference running back Woody Marks. They did add two backs from the portal -- redshirt junior Waymond Jordan, a JUCO product, and redshirt senior Eli Sanders from New Mexico -- but whoever earns the starting job will have big shoes to fill.

Losing Branch in the receiver room was tough as well, but the Trojans are returning juniors Makai Lemon, their No. 1 receiver last season and an All-Big Ten Third Team honoree, and Ja-Kobi Lane, who led the squad in receiving touchdowns with 12 last season. USC also added transfer junior Prince Strachan, who comes off a College Football Playoff appearance with Boise State and has experience with a winning program.

That room should be just fine.

Defensively, the Trojans lost all-conference defensive back Jaylin Smith and their leading tackler, linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold -- in fact, they lost four of their five leading tacklers from last season.

Lack of experience in the secondary poses reason for concern in that department, but in the box, USC should have a solid front seven.

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