LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX26) — The Bulldogs posted their lowest offensive output in 11 years as No. 14 USC coasted to victory Friday night, 39-0, in the first game of the 2026 Fresno State football season.
Making his second career start at quarterback — and first since the 2024 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — Buchanan HS grad Jayden Mandal completed 7 of 15 attempts for 77 passing yards.
Mandal was sacked five times, brought down in the end zone twice for a safety, intercepted and stripped for a fumble. There were certainly “ups and downs” for the fourth-year junior QB, as head coach Matt Entz put it.
“There were times I felt like he looked really good in there, and then, there were times where he dropped his eyes and started watching the pass rush a little bit,” said Entz.
“That’s probably a little bit of inexperience, whatever you want to call it. He just hasn’t played a lot of football, and so that’s why we wanted to keep him out there all night long.”
Backup QB Khristian Martin entered the game briefly to start the second quarter, yet the Maryland transfer only ran the ball twice – including a 4th down conversion called back for a false start.
The Fresno State offense totaled 116 yards — its lowest output since gaining just 89 total yards in a 2015 loss to San Diego State. Excluding sacks, the Bulldogs mustered 59 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Whereas Mandal was making his first-ever regular season start Friday, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava was nearly perfect in his 33rd career start.
Entz referred to Maiava as “a Heisman candidate” postgame, and the fifth-year senior played like it, completing 23 of 25 pass attempts for 349 yards and three touchdowns.
Fresno State still forced two turnovers from the high-octane USC offense. In the first quarter, Sacramento State transfer Dylan Hampsten punched out the football and Clovis West grad Tytus Khajavi recovered.
Former USC Trojan Deijon Laffitte also forced a fumble in the third quarter, but on the next play, the Trojan defense swarmed Mandal for their second safety of the night.
Entz described the Bulldogs’ season opener in two words — “snowball effect.”
“I know we’re a better football team than this, and this is unacceptable,” said Entz. “The minute we get over the Grapevine, we’re thinking about going 1-0 next week.”
That will be against Sacramento State in the home opener at Valley Children’s Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m. PT.