Matt Leinart Drops Bold Opinion On USC Trojans, Heisman Trophy Race

College football analyst Matt Leinart took the social media to share his thoughts on how USC played on the road against Purdue, noting good things from both side of the ball.

"We are beating the teams we should beat," Leinart posted on Instagram. "I love our receivers, Makai Lemon, Ja'Kobi Lane these guys are absolute studs, stars, game changers, keep feeding those guys. Jayden Maiava, he's humble, he looks great, second year in the system, full offseason in Lincoln's system, he's playing at a really high level. Keep an eye on him in the Heisman race."

Quarterback Jayden Maiava produced another solid performance leading the offense, finishing the night with 282 passing yards, 17 of 28 passing and one rushing touchdown.

Wide receievers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane also showed out, with Lemon recording five receptions for 63 yards and Lane with three for 115 yards. The running back room also delivered, with Waymond Jordan's 18 carries for 77 yards and one touchdown, as well as Eli Sander's 10 carries for 75 yards.

The defensive unit also went to work, led by linebacker Eric Gentry's eight solo tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and three tackles-for-loss. Safety Bishop Fitzgerald added two more interceptions to his name last night, on top of his four solo tackles.

What most fans also cannot stop talking about is defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett's 70-yard pick six that pushed gave the Trojans a 20-point lead in the third quarter.

Leinart also touched on the defensive performance, highlighting the change in skill and competition across the defense.

"Defensively, we look different up front, we're playing at a high level. I love this, we're closing out teams 3-0," Leinart continued.

Leinart Named Tunnel Captain for Michigan State Game

Leinart snuck in an exciting announcement in his game analysis, sharing he will be the tunnel captain for USC vs. Michigan State on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m.

The former USC quarterback has been named tunnel captain before, leading the team home against rival Notre Dame in 2014.

The 2004 Heisman Trophy winner was one of USC's most dynamic quarterbacks, finishing his time with 7,137 passing yards, 99 touchdowns and a 37-2 record through three seasons under legendary coach Pete Carroll.

Leinart led the Trojans to massive success, including a pair of Rose Bowl wins, back-to-back National Championships in 2003 and 2004, two Pac-10 player of the year honors and three consecutive Pac-10 titles.

Leinart was also accompanied by some of USC's most notable players, including 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and 2003 All-American wide receiver Mike Williams.

In the 2006 NFL Draft, Leinart was selected as the 10th overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals. He went on to play seasons in the league, including four with the Cardinals, one with the Oakland Raiders and one with the Houston Texans.

The Trojans are a 15.5 favorite over the Spartans, looking to improve to 2-0 in conference play and 4-0 overall.