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USC Trojans Quarterback Jayden Maiava On 2025 Heisman Trophy Watch List?

The USC Trojans' eight Heisman Trophy winners are the most in college football history since the award was introduced in 1935. Can Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava add his name to that list in 2025?

Cory Pappas

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The USC Trojans lead all off college football with eight Heisman Trophy winners. USC has had eight winners of the award. The most recent Trojan to win the Heisman was quarterback Caleb Williams in 2022.

The next closest schools are Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Ohio State with seven. 

Is there a player on USC that could be a contender for the award in 2025?

Potential Big Ten Heisman Trophy Candidates 

The Big Ten Huddle posted their five way-too-early Heisman contenders from the Big Ten. The five players listed were USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava, Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore, Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava took over for the Trojans for the remaining three games of the 2024 regular season, finishing with 906 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Maiava also added another 4 rushing touchdowns. USC went 2-1 in his three starts. 

Maiava got the nod for the starting job after quarterback Miller Moss was benched following a 4-5 record to start the season. 

In his freshman season in 2023 at UNLV before transferring, Maiava threw for 3,085 yards, 17 passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, also rushing for 277 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.

Will Trojans coach Lincoln Riley be able to get Maiava to perform at a Heisman level in 2025?

It is asking a lot, but Riley has already coached three different Heisman winners in his time at both Oklahoma and USC with quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams.

MORE: USC Trojans Predicted To Land Elite Running Back Shahn Alston Over Penn State?

MORE: USC Trojans Football Schedule: Grueling Road Opponents, Intriguing Home Slate In 2025

MORE: USC Trojans' Duce Robinson Enters Transfer Portal: Georgia Bulldogs, SEC Destination?

Trojans 2024 Outlook

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) runs the ball against
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) runs the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans had their 2025 schedule released last week. Does USC have a gauntlet in their second year as a member of the Big Ten Conference?

USC has a very friendly home slate of games, but a tough road slate. The Trojans will have road trips to Notre Dame, Illinois, Oregon, and Nebraska in 2025. 

At home, they will have Missouri State, Georgia Southern, Michigan State, Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa, and UCLA. 

Travis Hunter Wins 2024 Heisman Trophy

Over the weekend, Colorado Buffaloes cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy. He just outlasted Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. Hunter was the first non-quarterback to win the award since Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith won it in 2020.

Other players that finished below Hunter was Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, and Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo. Hunter wowed the college football world by playing both sides of the ball at an elite level.

Can Maiava become the ninth Trojan to win the prestigious award in 2025?

MORE: USC Trojans Quarterback Miller Moss Transfer Portal Destinations Missouri, Louisville

MORE: USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley Addresses Concerning Transfer Portal Departures

MORE: Texas A&M's Kevin Longstreet Transfer To USC Trojans To Join Quarterback, Brother Husan?

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Cory Pappas
CORY PAPPAS

Cory Pappas is sports writer for USC Trojans On SI and Oregon Ducks On SI. Since starting in March of 2024, he has been writing breaking news stories, game previews, game recaps, and more across College Sports, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympics for Total Apex Sports. In addition to writing, Cory is also a sports data scout for Sportradar. He covers live sporting events ranging from college athletics to semi-pro and professional. Before joining the industry, Cory graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022. He ran track for Oregon's club Track and Field team. Before Oregon, he played varsity basketball and track and field in high school in Walnut Creek, CA. Cory is using his lifelong passion for sports and writing together.

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