{
  "id": 10008986,
  "title": "USC football news: Jayden Maiava can light up Oregon, but there's trouble",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/usc-football-news-jayden-maiava-can-light-up-oregon-but-theres-trouble",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-26T15:45:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usc-football-news-jayden-maiava-154508453.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "USC football quarterback Jayden Maiava has the potential to light up Oregon, but there are significant challenges ahead for the Trojans. The No. 12 USC Trojans enter their Saturday showdown with No. 20 Oregon unbeaten and with one of the nation's most potent quarterbacks. However, defensive concerns loom large, as highlighted by ESPN's Pat McAfee on College GameDay who called Maiava a \"PROBLEM.\" Maiava has been spectacular, leading the Big Ten in passing yards and touchdowns with 1,173 yards and 12 touchdowns in four games. He completes 75.7% of his throws. Yet, McAfee also pointed out the issue for USC - their defense. This concern became clear after the Trojans allowed 35 points to Rutgers in their Big Ten-opening victory, despite Maiava's strong performance with 277 yards and two touchdowns. USC could face another high-scoring game against Oregon's potent offense, putting immense pressure on Maiava to maintain his stellar performance. For USC's College Football Playoff aspirations, defensive improvement is crucial to survive this matchup and make a statement. Maiava's college career has already been impressive. He was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year at UNLV in 2023 after throwing for 3,083 yards and 17 touchdowns. He transferred to USC in 2024 and took over the starting job, then exploded in 2025 with 3,711 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, earning All-Big Ten Third-Team recognition. Now, USC's defense must step up to match Maiava's offensive fireworks.",
  "summary": "Jayden Maiava has USC football humming. However, the Trojans may need more than offensive fireworks to survive their biggest test yet. No. 12 USC enters Saturday’s showdown with No. 20 Oregon unbeaten and armed with one of the nation’s hottest quarterbacks. Still, the defense remains the obvious question mark. Appearing on ESPN’s College GameDay, […] The post USC football news: Jayden Maiava can…",
  "key_points": [
    "Jayden Maiava can light up Oregon's offense.",
    "USC Trojans face defensive concerns against Oregon.",
    "Maiava's stellar performance crucial for USC's playoff hopes."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Iowa football LB Jayden Montgomery named Campbell Trophy semifinalist",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/iowa-football-lb-jayden-montgomery-named-campbell-trophy-semifinalist",
        "published": "2026-09-26T15:45:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}