LOS ANGELES -- The USC Trojans completely shut out (39-0) the Fresno State Bulldogs, marking their second consecutive win of the season, on Friday. Under new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, the team put on an outstanding performance, building on last week’s 42-26 victory against San Jose State as a big step forward.
The Trojans’ defense held Fresno State to 116 yards for the entire game, allowing 49 yards up through the third quarter. During this stellar effort, the defense recorded two safeties and forced two turnovers.
The Bulldogs tried to stop Trojans’ running game at the start, but they managed to enter USC territory only once all game. In the first quarter, Fresno State quarterback Jayden Mandal threw a lob pass that sixth-year senior safety Prophet Brown intercepted, marking the first interception of his career.
Brown, who is part of the 2021 recruiting class, was the presumptive starter at the nickel position last year, but he broke his hip during fall camp. Playing his third college defensive season in three years, Brown called this moment 'everything' for him.
“It meant everything, Brown said. “I didn't do a lot of stuff behind the scenes, you know, just worked, worked, stayed down, and for the the opportunity to come, you know, thank God for it.”
On the offensive side, Trent Mosley made two touchdown catches. On defense, Kennedy Urlacher forced a fumble from Mandal, while Alex Graham delivered a crucial sack in the third quarter, earning the game’s second safety. This late stand preserved the Trojans’ first shutout since September 2024 (against Utah State, 48-0).
Head coach Lincoln Riley praised Urlacher’s performance (three tackles, two sacks), saying,
"He's starting to settle in more and more to a system and understand it, and once he goes and turns it loose, you feel his speed and his physicality on the field."
Indeed, Riley made it clear after the game that the team still has quite a few things to clean up. He said the team had two fumbles, couldn’t convert third- and fourth-and-one in the red zone, and he himself also made some bad calls.
"We had a couple of couple things that we didn't like... where we messed up a few things,” Riley said. “I had a couple bad calls. And then obviously the turnovers."
USC (2-0) will now host Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in their next non-conference game next Saturday, Sept. 12. This game will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. PDT on the Big Ten Network.