The No. 18 USC Trojans' margin for error is razor thin as the Trojans prepare for a critical Week 5 matchup with the Washington Huskies.
Although the Huskies are unranked and a lesser caliber of opponent than the now-No. 15 Oregon Ducks, who USC faced last week, that could make this game even more important for the Trojans. USC needs to bounce back quickly before entering a more than challenging stretch of its schedule, with road matchups against Penn State for the White Out and Wisconsin before facing Ohio State and Indiana.
Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) prepares to throws a pass against the Oregon Ducks during the fourth quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Following the loss to Oregon, USC went from being one of the most hopeful teams in the country to a team facing a microscope of scrutiny. That scrutiny has particularly fallen on coach Lincoln Riley, who is facing more pressure than ever in his fifth season to finally break through and lead the Trojans to the College Football Playoff.
But before USC can worry about what is coming next, the Trojans have to take care of the task in front of them. Avoiding an upset against Washington is the obvious priority, but beyond that, USC needs to play a clean game and find a way to regain some of the confidence and momentum it had before the loss to Oregon.
There were still some bright spots to take away from USC's loss, and Saturday presents the Trojans with an opportunity to build on those positives and make a statement against Washington. With the pressure mounting and a critical stretch of the season approaching, here are three bold predictions for USC against Washington.
True freshman wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt has become one of Jayden Maiava's most reliable options in the USC offense, and his breakout performance against Oregon could be a sign of what is still to come.
Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (17) celebrates with tight end Mark Bowman (19) after scoring a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dixon-Wyatt put together arguably his best performance of the season against the Ducks. During the matchup, he caught seven passes for 114 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. On top of that, every one of his seven receptions moved the chains for a first down.
Through the first five games of the season, Dixon-Wyatt has recorded 25 receptions for 372 yards and three touchdowns.
The Huskies have allowed just 16.7 points per game this season, but USC presents a much different challenge than the offenses Washington has seen to this point. The Trojans have the ability to attack the Huskies vertically and force their secondary to defend multiple playmakers at once.
That could create opportunities for Dixon-Wyatt. After showing against Oregon that he can consistently come through in high-leverage situations, the freshman could be in line for another big performance.
If USC is going to get its season back on track, it will likely start with quarterback Jayden Maiava.
Sep 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The USC quarterback has been one of the most productive players in the country through the first five games. He's completed 110 of 157 passes for 1,499 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions.
Maiava completed 23 of 25 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns against Fresno State before throwing five touchdown passes against Louisiana. Even in USC's loss to Oregon, Maiava finished with 326 passing yards and two touchdowns.
If the Huskies can't consistently generate pressure with their front four, Maiava should have enough time to find USC's receivers downfield. And when Washington does bring additional pressure, his mobility gives him another way to extend plays.
Washington has had USC's number in recent meetings. In fact, the Huskies have won the last three matchups between the two programs. But this year's matchup presents a very different challenge for the Huskies.
USC enters the game as an 8.5-point favorite according to DraftKings , and the Trojans have a chance to put some distance between themselves and Washington early.
Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks off the field after the game against the Oregon Ducks at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The biggest question heading into the weekend is whether Washington's defense can hold up once USC's offense starts playing at its tempo.
The Huskies have allowed just 16.7 points per game, but USC is averaging nearly 40 points per game. The Trojans also have significantly more weapons to account for than many of the offenses Washington has faced this season.
The Trojans have plenty of motivation coming off the Oregon loss, and this is an opportunity to not only get back in the win column but also show that one loss hasn't completely derailed the trajectory of the season.
If the Trojans can put together the clean, confident performance they've been searching for, this could turn into a much different game than the recent history between these programs suggests.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Three Bold Predictions for USC Trojans vs. Washington Huskies .
