Georgia Southern Gets Crushed by USC in Week 2, 59-20

The University of Southern California covered the 28-point spread against Georgia Southern, as USC crushed the Eagles 59-20 in Week 2. The Eagles start the season 0-2 for the first time since 2017.

Georgia Southern vs. USC 2025: Week 2 Recap

The Eagles started the game on defense and defensive back Prince Green forced a fumble right away. Georgia Southern defensive lineman Caleb Moore recovered the ball for the Eagles, but that was the only defensive highlight for unit in this Week 2 matchup against USC.

Defensive Disaster

Trojan quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 412 yards, completing 16 of his 24 attempts. His favorite target was his No. 1 receiver Makai Lemon, who had two of Maiava’s four passing touchdowns.

The wideout had four receptions for 158 yards. Both of Lemon’s touchdowns were longer than 60 yards with 50 yards after the catch for. He torched the Eagles early, which allowed the Trojans to lean on their rushing attack.

Georgia Southern also had a tough time stopping the run, which was an issue against Fresno State in Week 1. And much like that game, USC Trojan head coach Lincoln Riley used all three of his running-backs.

Waymond Jordan led the Trojans on the ground with 167 rushing yards on 16 carries. The Trojans also used Eli Sanders and King Miller, who both had over 50 yards rushing. Jordan got the bulk of the carries, but Sanders had more touchdown runs. Yet in the end, all three found the endzone at least once.

The Fantastic French 

A bright spot for Georgia Southern’s offense was quarterback JC French, who threw for 179 yards, completing 19-of-35 attempts. French had two passing touchdowns and one interception. Yet outside the turnover, French looked good. The Eagles quarterback was efficient at spreading the ball out, with five receivers having three receptions or more.

The Eagles opened the scoring up after a fumble recovery right away with Auburn transfer Camden Brown. Brown was not finished, scoring the Eagles second touchdown in the second quarter. It was clear that Brown was the best athlete on the offensive side of the ball for the Eagles. As his connection with French continues to develop, expect him to really shine.

It was clear that French loved leaning on Brown, but he also looked for Dalen Cobb. When Fresno State decided to take away Brown last week, Cobb became the go-to option for French. The connection was not the strongest initially, but Saturday showed that connection is growing.

Cobb led the team with six receptions and 59 receiving yards to go with his one receiving touchdown. If he can continue to develop into a reliable second option, Brown’s job of getting open will become a lot easier. Cobb could also help create space for other players. That could include wide receiver Josh Dallas or tight end Ahmon Green, who both had three receptions against USC in Week 2 for Georgia Southern.

Look Ahead: Home Opener vs. Jacksonville State

The Eagles will have an opportunity to bounce back after an ugly first two games in California on September 13. The Eagles host the 1-1 Jacksonville State Gamecocks in their home opener at Paulson Stadium.

Popular betting sites such as FanDuel currently list the Eagles as 3.5-point favorites against the Gamecocks, with a total of 56.5. Assuming the sportsbook gives around three points for home field advantage, they are clearly respecting Jacksonville State on the road.

The Eagles need their defense to show up next week. The Gamecocks are ranked 20th in the country (after two games) in rushing yards, which has been the Eagles’ defensive downfall. This will be a good test for a shaky run defense before beginning conference play on September 27 against James Madison.