No. 12 USC defeats Rutgers, but defensive woes detract from win
- Posted on September 19, 2026
- By Los Angeles Times
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- 1 min read
In brief
USC's 12th-ranked Trojans narrowly escaped their Big Ten conference debut with a 42-35 victory over Rutgers, yet the performance exposed significant vulnerabilities in their defensive strategy. Despite offensive productivity, the Trojans struggled to contain Rutgers' attack, raising questions about their ability to compete at the highest level and potentially secure a College Football Playoff berth. Defensive adjustments will be critical as USC faces tougher conference opponents ahead.
Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.
No. 12 USC defeats Rutgers, but defensive woes detract from win
No. 12 USC defeats Rutgers 42-35 in its Big Ten opener, but concerns about the defense continue to cast doubts over the Trojans' playoff readiness.
