The No. 12 USC Trojans are undefeated following their most recent 42-35 win over Rutgers. However, despite getting the win on a cross-country road trip, the Trojans were far from perfect.
The defense struggled to slow down the Scarlet Knights for much of the afternoon and allowed Rutgers to repeatedly hang around and turn what could have been a comfortable USC victory into a game that remained competitive until the final minutes. But when the Trojans needed plays, different parts of the team continued to come through.
Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans running back King Miller (8) carries the ball as Rutgers Scarlet Knights linebacker Abram Wright (6) tackles during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
USC's offense made enough big plays to keep USC ahead, and special teams quietly provided some of the points that proved critical in a seven-point game.
That was reflected in the Big Ten's weekly honors.
USC kicker Caden Chittenden was named the conference's Special Teams Player of the Week after a perfect performance in his first game handling the Trojans' place-kicking duties. Redshirt freshman running back Riley Wormley also earned recognition, taking home Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after making the most of his opportunities against Rutgers.
Neither player needed a huge workload to make an impact, but both came through in important moments as USC improved to 4-0 and survived its first Big Ten road test of the season. Now, both will have a chance to build on those performances when the Trojans return home for their biggest test yet: a top-20 matchup with No. 20 Oregon at the Coliseum.
Chittenden was perfect in his first game handling USC's place-kicking duties. He converted both of his field-goal attempts and all four of his extra-point attempts.
Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans place kicker Caden Chittenden (45) kicks an extra point out of the hold of punter Lachlan Carrigan (35) against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
His first field goal came from 35 yards and gave USC its first points of the afternoon. Then, with Rutgers threatening to swing the momentum before halftime, Chittenden connected from 32 yards with just 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter. That kick sent the Trojans into halftime with a 20-14 lead and gave Chittenden 10 total points on the day.
Chittenden missed the entire 2025 season after suffering a season-ending injury during fall camp. The former UNLV standout had not attempted a field goal for USC before Saturday, which made his 2-for-2 start even more significant.
Wormley made his opportunities count in a different way. The redshirt freshman only carried the ball three times against Rutgers, but turned those attempts into 52 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for two yards and another touchdown. Wormley finished the game with 54 total yards and two scores on just four touches.
His first big moment came in the third quarter when Rutgers had cut USC's lead to 27-21. Wormley ripped off a career-long 27-yard run to immediately put the Trojans in better position before eventually finishing the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run.
Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans running back Riley Wormley (27) carries the ball as Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Kevyn Humes (4) pursues during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Then, in the fourth quarter, after Rutgers pulled back within a single score, Wormley picked up 13 yards to help USC reach the goal line before catching a two-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Maiava on third down. The score pushed USC's advantage back to 42-28 and gave the Trojans some much-needed breathing room.
The Trojans now return to the Coliseum for their Big Ten home opener against No. 20 Oregon , giving both Chittenden and Wormley another chance to play a role in one of the biggest games on USC's schedule.
Although the Trojans enter Saturday's matchup at No. 21 and undefeated while Oregon enters at No. 2 and with one loss, according to both FanDuel and DraftKings , the Oregon Ducks are favored by 2.5 points. It's expected to be a very close game, and in a matchup where possessions can become especially important, having a kicker who has already shown he can consistently convert could give the Trojans another option when a drive stalls in the red zone.
Nov 11, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley, left, and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning talk before a game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Wormley could also be a crucial player for the Trojans as they look to take down their neighbor from the north. Running back King Miller handled the majority of USC's rushing workload against Rutgers, but Wormley's explosiveness gave the Trojans another weapon when they needed to create something quickly.
Oregon's defense will present a much different challenge than the Trojans saw in Piscataway, but USC has already seen what Wormley can bring when his number is called. After earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, he'll now head into his biggest test yet with a chance to continue carving out a role in USC's offense.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Two USC Trojans Land Big Ten Weekly Honors Before Top-20 Oregon Showdown .
