TE Mark Bowman Can Decide USC’s Defining Night in Bloomington

Every great upset has a mismatch at its core. 

For No. 18 USC (7-2) against No. 9 Indiana (8-1) on Saturday in Bloomington, Ind., that mismatch is Mark Bowman.

The true freshman tight end gives the Trojans two ways to challenge the Hoosiers: as a receiver who can turn a short completion into a chunk play, and as a blocker who can help keep quarterback Jayden Maiava out of obvious passing situations. 

Bowman enters the Big Ten matchup at Memorial Stadium with 24 catches for 283 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 11.8 yards per reception along with seven yards after the catch. 

At 6 feet 5 inches and 245 pounds, Bowman enters the matchup with 24 catches for 283 yards and two touchdowns. His value was best shown on Oct. 31 against Ohio State, when he hurdled one defender and powered through another on a 70-yard catch-and-run.

That is the possibility Bowman brings to Bloomington. 

He can help sustain a drive with a block or change the game with the ball in his hands; USC’s offense is built to create those opportunities. 

“USC’s offense thrives on quarterback Jayden Maiava’s short and intermediate passes to receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and tight end Mark Bowman, three freshmen who have proved that they can turn a screen pass into a chunk play,” Haley Sawyer of the OC Register wrote on Friday. 

Bowman showed just how dangerous that formula can be against Ohio State. His 70-yard play helped set up a crucial touchdown in USC’s win, prompting NBC play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle to exclaim, “Beast mode!” 

On NBC Sports’ Big Ten Film Breakdown, Connor Rogers said Bowman’s style of play in USC’s win over Ohio State was “cinema… as good as it gets.” 

“He’s just a freshman,” Rogers emphasized. 

Just as important for USC: Bowman delivered that performance despite returning from a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury, and he was on a snap count. He had a bye week to recover and is not listed on the Week 11 availability report.

Bowman’s value against Indiana may depend as much on the plays that don’t make highlights as on the ones that do.  

With Bowman sidelined against Wisconsin in October, the Trojans finished with minus-18 yards on 25 carries in the 24-7 road loss.

His absence does not fully explain that result. It underscores the stakes of this game in Bloomington for USC. Establish a ground game and keep Maiava out of passing downs. 

Bowman’s blocking could help the Trojans stay on schedule, and his receiving ability could beat Indiana when an opportunity comes. The skill set makes him a potential difference-maker in a game that could define USC’s season.

The Trojans will face the defending national champion on its home field, with a national CBS audience watching and the College Football Playoff implications hanging over the game. 

Bowman does not have to decide the game on his own, but if he can help USC hold its ground up front and turn another short completion into a game-changing play, USC’s upset bid will shift from aspiration to actuality.