The No. 14 USC Trojans entered their Week 1 matchup against Fresno State with some momentum after opening the season with a 42-26 win over San José State. However, there was still plenty to prove.Despite controlling most of the game, USC allowed the Spartans to score 26 points, including 23 in the fourth quarter. The late collapse raised some questions about the Trojans' defensive depth and whether the unit could consistently play at the level expected of a team with College Football Playoff aspirations.Friday night against Fresno State, it looked like the Trojans took that Week 0 performance personally.Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Helmets at the line of scrimmage as Southern California Trojans long snapper Luke Brown (53) snaps the ball against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectUSC put on a defensive clinic, shutting out the Bulldogs 39-0 while holding them to just 116 total yards. The last time the Trojans held an opponent to fewer than 116 total yards was in 2011 against California, making Friday night's performance one of the more dominant defensive showings USC has produced in years.But perhaps the most interesting part of the Trojans' defensive performance came in two safeties forced during their shutout of Fresno State.The Trojans had not forced a single safety in a game since 2019, when Drake Jackson recorded a safety against Utah. The last team to record two safeties in a game was Michigan in 2023, when the Wolverines did it against Maryland during their run to a national championship.One safety is certainly impressive, but two in the same game says something much bigger about the way USC's defense is playing.How It Happened:The first safety came in the second quarter.Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley leaves the field against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWith Fresno State backed up to its own 1-yard line after an intentional grounding penalty, quarterback Jayden Mandal faced a third-and-22 situation. Kennedy Urlacher came on the blitz, got to Mandal in the end zone and brought him down for the first safety of the night.The second safety came later in the game. After Fresno State recovered a USC fumble at its own 7-yard line, the Bulldogs had a chance to take advantage of a sudden-change situation. Instead, Alex Graham immediately broke through and sacked Mandal in the end zone on the very next play.USC managed to instantly turn an offensive mistake into defensive points, and that is the exact type of response that can completely change the identity of a defense.That signature Gary Patterson aggression was on display throughout the night.TCU coach Gary Patterson during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Oklahoma won 52-31.