Freshman WR Trent Mosley is the big-play threat on USC's offense heading to Indiana showdown

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Trent Mosley went to high school in sunny Orange County before he became one of the nation's top freshman receivers at Southern California, he grew up in the Chicago area until the seventh grade.

When his No. 15 Trojans travel to No. 6 Indiana for what could be a season-defining showdown on Saturday, Mosley will be grounded by his Midwest roots amid temperatures that aren't expected to get much above freezing.

“I know it’s supposed to be pretty cold,” Mosley said with a smile. “I’ve been in California for a while, but I hope I haven’t grown soft to it.”

Mosley has met almost every other challenge before him during a dynamic debut season at USC.

Despite missing three games with a knee injury, he leads the Trojans (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) with 512 yards receiving, six touchdowns and an incredible knack for highlight-reel plays. Mosley is also one of the nation's most dangerous punt returners, averaging 26.5 yards per return with another TD.

Mosley has gone for at least 100 yards receiving in four of the six games he has played. He emerged on the USC scene with a bang, catching seven passes for 118 yards and a TD in the season opener against San Jose State and immediately standing out among a loaded freshman class.

“That kid moves differently,” USC running back King Miller said. “I mean, he’s special. I love to see him play.”

Mosley has been the most dangerous playmaker on a USC offense that's loaded with talent and production, but has struggled at key moments this season. The Trojans managed only seven points at Wisconsin last month in an embarrassing loss that jeopardized their College Football Playoff hopes, with Mosley held to five catches for 45 yards.

Mosley shrugged it off and went right back to work along with his teammates on a season-saving performance two weeks ago. On the Trojans' second snap against No. 2 Ohio State, he took a screen pass 69 yards for an electrifying score that set the tone for USC's 30-18 win .

Mosley is just 5-foot-10, which likely kept him out of five-star status as a recruit at Santa Margarita High School — but Lincoln Riley loved Mosley's speed, football smarts and precision, which have made any size concerns unimportant.

Mosley is from a remarkable sporting family: His father, Emmett, played football at Notre Dame in the 1990s, when his mother was the nation's top collegiate soccer player and a national title winner for the Irish.

Mosley's older brother, Emmett Mosley V, is Texas' second-leading receiver this season with 30 catches for 504 yards. Their younger brother, Grant, is a receiver at Santa Margarita — and their older sister, Jalyn, played soccer at Iowa.

Mosley's parents held him back a year in school during the pandemic, making him a 20-year-old freshman this fall. He also played for Carson Palmer, USC’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, as a senior at Santa Margarita.

So while USC's season has been an emotional roller coaster typical of this high-expectations program, the bumps have haven't bothered this uncommonly mature freshman.

“I’ve trusted in this school and the coaching staff since I was being recruited," Mosley said after the Trojans' win over the Buckeyes. “I know I made the right decision. ... We learned how good we are. When we play together and trust each other as a team, this is what we can do.”

While the Trojans still have a shot to make the Playoff this season if they can conjure an upset of the national champion Hoosiers, Mosley is one of several USC freshmen who could lead this program to remarkable heights in the coming years if they stay together — and if Riley continues to lead them .

The elite newcomers include Luke Wafle, who is already one of the Big Ten's top defensive ends; receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, who has 32 catches for 443 yards and four TDs; and tight end Mark Bowman, whose injury-slowed season picked up steam two weeks ago with a surreal 70-yard reception against Ohio State.

The Trojans' young stars all appear to be bonding well. They're friends off the field, competing in ping pong and Fortnite between practices.

Whether that camaraderie translates into a second straight shocking Big Ten victory will be determined at Indiana on Saturday.

“We’re all pushing every day,” Mosley said. “We all know what’s in front of us, and we’re taking it week by week. We all know we control our destiny and what we want to do.”

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