LIVE Score Updates: USC Trojans Square Off Against Missouri State in Season Opener

Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava, redshirt junior safety Kamari Ramsey, redshirt junior defensive lineman Devan Thompkins, redshirt senior linebacker Eric Gentry, and redshirt junior center Kilian O’Connor will be the Trojans team captains in the opener. USC will decide captain in a week-to-week basis.

Lincoln Riley is 8-0 in season openers as a head coach, but it’s all about what the Trojans coach does the rest of year, as he enters a pressured packed fourth season in Los Angeles. USC had a disappointing 7-6 mark in 2024, which marked the second consecutive season the Trojans have seen a drop in the win column.

Maiava enters his first season as the Trojans signal-caller. The Hawaii native started the final games of 2024, where he went 3-1, including a win over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. In those games, Maiava accounted for 14 total touchdowns.

Now, in his second season with the program, Maiava is someone that has embraced becoming more of a vocal presence with the team.

“He would say he feels like it’s his team," Riley said. He knows the guys better, and he knows what he’s doing as a player better. It’s a much different situation. There’s a different confidence and swagger with him in the way he plays, the way he interacts with guys, the way he challenges guys and the way he uplifts guys.

"We’ve challenged him as coaches pretty heavily to do it, and he’s really responded. Great teams have to have that out of their quarterbacks, and he’s intent on giving this team that.”

Maiava will have his two top targets back from a year ago in junior receivers Ja'Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon. Freshman receiver Tanook Hines, a summer enrollee, was a standout in fall camp and has earned a starting spot alongside Lane and Lemon.

Waymond Jordan, the No. 1 ranked junior college running back this past cycle, will lead a loaded Trojans backfield that also features New Mexico transfer Eli Sanders and sophomore Bryan Jackson.

Defensively, Lynn is back for his second season and leads what has the makings to be the Trojans best defense under Riley.

Ramsey chose to forgo the 2025 NFL Draft and return to school for another year. He leads the defense from the backend and the player that wears the green dot. Sophomore linebacker Desman Stephens steps into a starting role at the MIKE position.