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USC football news: Jayden Maiava can light up Oregon, but there's trouble

Led by quarterback Jayden Maiava, the unbeaten University of Southern California football team heads into a crucial clash against Oregon facing mounting concerns on the defensive side of the ball. Maiava has put together a stellar opening to the season across four appearances, topping the national charts with 1,173 passing yards and twelve touchdowns while completing over 75 percent of his attempts.

On a recent television appearance, analyst Pat McAfee highlighted the signal-caller's exceptional output and conference-leading statistics as a major bright spot for the program under coach Lincoln Riley. Despite that offensive dominance, defensive frailties were exposed when the squad surrendered thirty-five points during a narrow conference-opening triumph over Rutgers.

That vulnerability threatens to force the unit into high-scoring affairs, putting immense pressure on the passing attack to sustain its peak performance. For the squad to maintain its playoff aspirations and successfully navigate this upcoming ranked test, significant improvement on defense will be absolutely vital.

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