Subscribe
Follow Us
Arguably no team has been hurt more by the 2024-2025 transfer portal than USC, who was dealt another crushing blow on Monday. Sophomore Quinten Joyner entered the portal and will not be available for Lincoln Riley in the Trojans' final game of 2024, per On3 Sports' Hayes Fawcett.
While he primarily served as a change-of-pace option behind Marks, Joyner's 7.6 yards per carry led the Big Ten in 2024. As a second-year player, he was expected to take over as Riley's top running back in 2025 once Jo'Quavious ‘Woody' Marks graduated from the program.
Joyner's transfer announcement came just one day after the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl announced USC and Texas A&M as its two teams in 2024. He became just another key member of the Trojans' offense to enter his name after quarterback Miller Moss did so on Dec. 2. Third-leading receiver Kyron Hudson has also already entered the transfer portal.
Before his two years in Los Angeles, Joyner was a four-star recruit out of Manor High School in Manor, Texas. He committed to the Trojans over other offers from Oregon, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU and others.
Without Joyner, USC may have to face Texas A&M without either of their top two backfield options. Marks suffered a head injury in the team's final regular season game against Notre Dame and did not return. If he is unable to play in the Las Vegas Bowl, true freshman Bryan Jackson will likely get the nod.
USC to face Texas A&M in Las Vegas Bowl
Despite already suffering significant losses to their offense, USC will still have to face 8-4 Texas A&M on Dec. 27. After a mostly disappointing season, USC clinched bowl eligibility in Week 13 with a win over rival UCLA.
Since Week 12, USC has turned to sophomore UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava at quarterback. Maiava, the former Mountain West Freshman of the Year, has gone 2-1 in his three starts and given new life to the Trojans offense. Even in his lone loss to No. 5-ranked Notre Dame, Maiava still led USC to a 35-point outing, the most that the Irish allowed all year.
The Aggies had a much different season than USC and were considered title contenders for most of the year. However, a 1-3 stretch to end the regular season knocked them out of the SEC Championship Game and killed their College Football Playoff hopes. Still, had they beaten Texas in Week 14, they would have faced Georgia in the conference title game.
