USC Dominates Georgia Southern 59-20 in Week 2 Blowout
USC overwhelmed Georgia Southern 59-20 on Saturday in a lopsided Week 2 matchup. The Trojans' offense was relentless from the opening kickoff, with quarterback Jayden Maiava orchestrating an efficient attack that produced 412 passing yards. Maiava connected with receiver Makai Lemon twice for touchdowns in the first quarter alone, establishing USC's dominance early. The home team scored 21 points in the opening quarter and never relented, adding 10 in the second quarter to effectively put the game out of reach. Georgia Southern managed only 20 points despite limiting their deficit somewhat in the fourth quarter with a 36-yard run by Jamarian Samuel. Ja'Kobi Lane led USC's receivers with 91 yards, while the Trojans' defense limited Georgia Southern's offensive opportunities throughout. USC's 59 points surpassed the over-under of 61.5, while the Trojans' 39-point margin easily covered the 29-point spread, delivering a decisive victory in a thoroughly dominant performance.
AI-generated recap · Aug 19, 2026
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Georgia Southern | 6 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
 USC | 21 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 59 |
Scoring Timeline
Drive Chart
Box Score
| Statistic | Georgia Southern | USC |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | 24-45 | 20-30 |
| Pass Yards | 235 | 446 |
| Rush Yards | 142 | 309 |
| Total Yards | 377 | 755 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| 3rd Down | 4-15 | 5-9 |
| Penalties | 1-1 | 8-93 |
| Possession | 29:48 | 30:12 |
Player Leaders
Player Leaders
Play-by-Play
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 6 yds to the USC 31
Waymond Jordan run for 6 yds to the USC 37 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 4 yds to the USC 41 Waymond Jordan fumbled, recovered by GASO Caleb Moore
JC French IV pass complete to Dalen Cobb for 4 yds to the USC 37
JC French IV pass incomplete to Josh Dallas
(13:09) No Huddle-Shotgun French IV,JC pass incomplete short right to Cobb,Dalen thrown to USC23 PENALTY USC Offside (Fountain,Kameryn) 5 yards from USC37 to USC32. NO PLAY.
Weston Bryan pass complete to Camden Brown for 32 yds for a TD USC Penalty, Defensive Pass Interference (Yards) declined (Two-Point Conversion failed)
Waymond Jordan run for 2 yds to the USC 27
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 16 yds to the USC 43 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 13 yds to the GASO 44 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Tanook Hines for 6 yds to the GASO 38
Waymond Jordan run for 3 yds to the GASO 35
Waymond Jordan run for 17 yds to the GASO 18 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 6 yds to the GASO 12
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Ja'Kobi Lane for 12 yds for a TD Georgia Southern Penalty, Defensive Pass Interference (Chris Crouch) declined (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
OJ Arnold run for 5 yds to the GASO 30
JC French IV pass complete to Josh Dallas for no gain to the GASO 30
JC French IV pass incomplete to Dalen Cobb
Alex Smith punt for 50 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the USC 20
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Eli Sanders for 18 yds to the USC 38 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 62 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
JC French IV run for 6 yds to the GASO 31
JC French IV pass complete to Josh Dallas for 15 yds to the GASO 46 for a 1ST down
OJ Arnold run for a loss of 1 yard to the GASO 45
David Mbadinga run for 5 yds to the 50 yard line
(04:39) No Huddle-Shotgun French IV,JC pass incomplete deep right to Cobb,Dalen thrown to USC25 PENALTY USC Pass Interference (Johnson,Chasen) 15 yards from GS50 to USC35, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
JC French IV pass incomplete to Camden Brown
JC French IV pass complete to Ahmon Green for 4 yds to the USC 39
JC French IV sacked by Anthony Lucas for a loss of 7 yards to the USC 46
Alex Smith punt for 31 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the USC 15
Waymond Jordan run for 7 yds to the USC 22
Waymond Jordan run for 4 yds to the USC 26 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 74 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
JC French IV pass incomplete to Dalen Cobb
JC French IV pass complete to Marcus Sanders Jr. for 11 yds to the GASO 36 for a 1ST down
USC Penalty, Illegal Use Of Hands (Eric Gentry) to the USC 45 for a 1ST down
JC French IV pass intercepted DeCarlos Nicholson return for no gain to the USC 15
Eli Sanders run for 19 yds to the USC 34 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Makai Lemon
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Eli Sanders for 5 yds to the USC 29
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Jay Fair
Sam Johnson punt for 46 yds , Josh Dallas returns for no gain to the GASO 25
JC French IV pass complete to Terrance Gibbs for 17 yds to the GASO 42 for a 1ST down
JC French IV pass complete to Josh Dallas for 5 yds to the GASO 47
Terrance Gibbs run for 3 yds to the 50 yard line
David Mbadinga run for 5 yds to the USC 45 for a 1ST down
USC Penalty, Illegal Use Of Hands (Braylan Shelby) to the USC 25 for a 1ST down
David Mbadinga run for 1 yd to the USC 24
JC French IV pass complete to Camden Brown for 24 yds for a TD (Tripp Bryant KICK)
Evan Scruggs kickoff for 60 yds , Makai Lemon return for 21 yds to the USC 26
Waymond Jordan run for 6 yds to the USC 32
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Lake McRee
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Ja'Kobi Lane for 53 yds to the GASO 15 for a 1ST down Georgia Southern Penalty, Defensive Pass Interference (Chris Crouch) declined for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 5 yds to the GASO 10
Jayden Maiava run for 2 yds to the GASO 8
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Ryon Sayeri 26 yd FG GOOD
JC French IV pass incomplete to Josh Dallas
OJ Arnold run for 10 yds to the GASO 35 for a 1ST down
JC French IV pass complete to Dalen Cobb for 17 yds to the USC 48 for a 1ST down
JC French IV pass complete to Ahmon Green for 17 yds to the USC 31 for a 1ST down
Dalen Cobb sacked by Eric Gentry for a loss of 4 yards to the USC 35
JC French IV pass complete to Dalen Cobb for 7 yds to the USC 28
JC French IV run for 5 yds to the USC 23
JC French IV pass incomplete to OJ Arnold
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Lake McRee for 22 yds to the USC 45 for a 1ST down
Eli Sanders run for 15 yds to the GASO 40 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Ja'Kobi Lane for 26 yds to the GASO 14 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Walker Lyons for 14 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
OJ Arnold run for 13 yds to the GASO 38 for a 1ST down
JC French IV pass complete to Ahmon Green for 6 yds to the GASO 44
OJ Arnold run for 8 yds to the USC 48 for a 1ST down
JC French IV sacked by Kameryn Fountain for a loss of 3 yards to the GASO 49
JC French IV pass incomplete to Camden Brown
JC French IV sacked by Anthony Lucas for a loss of 12 yards to the GASO 37
Alex Smith punt for 31 yds
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Ja'Kobi Lane
Eli Sanders run for 2 yds to the USC 34
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Makai Lemon
Sam Johnson punt for 48 yds , Peyton Plott returns for no gain to the GASO 19
David Mbadinga run for 2 yds to the GASO 21
(00:08) No Huddle-Shotgun Arnold,OJ rush middle for 0 yards to the GS21 (Lucas,Anthony; Shelby,Braylan) PENALTY USC Illegal Use Of Hands (Stephens II,Desman) 15 yards from GS21 to GS36, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
David Mbadinga run for 5 yds to the GASO 41
End of 2nd Quarter
OJ Arnold run for 4 yds to the GASO 29
JC French IV pass complete to OJ Arnold for 1 yd to the GASO 30
JC French IV pass complete to Dalen Cobb for 4 yds to the GASO 34
Alex Smith punt for 37 yds, fair catch by Makai Lemon at the USC 29
Waymond Jordan run for 12 yds to the USC 41 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Lake McRee for 12 yds to the GASO 47 for a 1ST down Georgia Southern Penalty, Defensive Offside (Chris Crouch) declined for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 6 yds to the GASO 41
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Waymond Jordan
Waymond Jordan run for 5 yds to the GASO 36 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 36 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
JC French IV pass incomplete to Dalen Cobb
OJ Arnold run for 2 yds to the GASO 27
JC French IV pass incomplete to Dalen Cobb
Alex Smith punt for 45 yds, fair catch by Makai Lemon at the USC 28
Eli Sanders run for 5 yds to the USC 33
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Zacharyus Williams for 61 yds to the GASO 6 for a 1ST down
Eli Sanders run for 4 yds to the GASO 2
(08:06) No Huddle-Shotgun Maiava,Jayden pass incomplete short left thrown to GS00 PENALTY GS Holding (Meyers,Justin) 1 yard from GS02 to GS01, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Eli Sanders run for 1 yd for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Ryon Sayeri kickoff for 64 yds , Dalen Cobb return for 18 yds to the GASO 19
JC French IV pass incomplete to Dalen Cobb
JC French IV pass complete to David Mbadinga for 4 yds to the GASO 15
JC French IV pass complete to Marcus Sanders Jr. for 13 yds to the GASO 28
JC French IV run for 2 yds to the GASO 30 for a 1ST down
David Mbadinga run for 2 yds to the GASO 32
JC French IV run for 7 yds to the GASO 39
David Mbadinga run for 2 yds to the GASO 41 for a 1ST down
JC French IV pass incomplete
JC French IV pass incomplete to Camden Brown
JC French IV pass complete to Dalen Cobb for 14 yds to the USC 45 for a 1ST down
David Mbadinga run for 11 yds to the USC 34 for a 1ST down
David Mbadinga run for 2 yds to the USC 32
JC French IV pass complete to Camden Brown for 19 yds to the USC 13 for a 1ST down
JC French IV pass incomplete to Camden Brown
JC French IV pass complete to Dalen Cobb for 13 yds for a TD (Tripp Bryant KICK)
Evan Scruggs kickoff for 58 yds , Eli Sanders return for 14 yds to the USC 21
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Lake McRee
Jayden Maiava pass complete to DJ Jordan for 9 yds to the USC 30
Waymond Jordan run for 35 yds to the GASO 35 for a 1ST down
Eli Sanders run for 1 yd to the GASO 34
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Walker Lyons for 26 yds to the GASO 8 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava run for 3 yds to the GASO 5
Eli Sanders run for 5 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
David Mbadinga run for a loss of 1 yard to the GASO 24
JC French IV pass incomplete to Dalen Cobb
JC French IV pass incomplete to Camden Brown
Alex Smith punt for 40 yds, fair catch by Zacharyus Williams at the USC 36
King Miller run for 2 yds to the USC 38
Harry Dalton III run for 21 yds to the GASO 41 for a 1ST down
King Miller run for 41 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Sayeri,Ryon kick attempt good (H: Johnson,Sam, LS: Pepper,Hank) PENALTY USC False Start (Paige,Elijah) 5 yards from GS03 to GS08. NO PLAY.
Turner Helton pass complete to Antavious Murphy for 11 yds to the GASO 36 for a 1ST down
Turner Helton pass complete to Dylan Gary for 3 yds to the GASO 39
Turner Helton run for 3 yds to the GASO 42
Turner Helton pass incomplete to Antavious Murphy
Alex Smith punt for 48 yds, fair catch by Zacharyus Williams at the USC 10
Husan Longstreet pass complete to DJ Jordan for 5 yds to the USC 15
Husan Longstreet pass incomplete to Joey Olsen
Husan Longstreet pass complete to Tanook Hines for 7 yds to the USC 22 for a 1ST down
Harry Dalton III run for 6 yds to the USC 28
Husan Longstreet pass complete to DJ Jordan for 14 yds to the USC 42 for a 1ST down
Husan Longstreet pass complete to Tanook Hines for 8 yds to the 50 yard line
King Miller run for 12 yds to the GASO 38 for a 1ST down
(04:33) No Huddle-Shotgun Dalton III,Harry rush right for 8 yards gain to the GS30 (Tyson,Brandon) PENALTY USC Holding (Tabaracci,Carson) 10 yards from GS38 to GS48. NO PLAY.
Husan Longstreet run for 6 yds to the GASO 42
Harry Dalton III run for a loss of 3 yards to the GASO 45
Husan Longstreet pass incomplete to Tanook Hines
Sam Johnson punt for 35 yds, fair catch by Peyton Plott at the GASO 10
Jamarian Samuel run for 15 yds to the GASO 25 for a 1ST down
Turner Helton pass incomplete to Dylan Gary
Jamarian Samuel run for 36 yds to the USC 39 for a 1ST down
Turner Helton pass complete to Dylan Gary for 5 yds to the USC 34
Turner Helton pass incomplete to Carmelo Mays
Jamarian Samuel run for 2 yds to the USC 32
(00:34) No Huddle-Shotgun Helton,Turner pass incomplete deep left to Murphy,Antavious thrown to USC02 PENALTY USC Pass Interference (Urlacher,Kennedy) 13 yards from USC32 to USC19, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Turner Helton pass incomplete to Carmelo Mays
Jamarian Samuel run for 5 yds to the USC 14
Turner Helton pass incomplete
Turner Helton pass complete to Carmelo Mays for 5 yds to the USC 9 for a 1ST down