The true freshman, who is hurdling defenders and achieving Trojans stardom, would rather be barefoot, and he says it’s made a difference
USC TE Mark Bowman hurdles OHIO ST S Jaylen McClain in the 3rd Q of their B1G game on Halloween night at the Coliseum. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Haley Sawyer (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — USC tight end Mark Bowman would rather be barefoot.
He walked into a Tuesday afternoon press conference without shoes, and walked onto the Coliseum field the same way prior to the Washington game on Oct. 3, back when he was out due to injury.
“It’s something that I’m kind of tuned into,” Bowman told reporters. “I just like not weakening my feet by using the new age shoe. I think that it kind of puts your foot in an uncomfortable position, can cause injuries.”
He decided to give up shoes – at least at times – after experiencing problems with his big toe in high school. It’s made a difference, he says, and it hasn’t kept him from hurdling defenders and achieving stardom early in his career at USC.
Bowman’s first leap took place against Louisiana, and it led to a touchdown. The one against Ohio State didn’t get him six points, but it did get him 70 yards and even more admiration from his teammates.
“He did jump over two guys, which is pretty impressive,” receiver Trent Mosley said. “But after that, he had to truck a dude. So that was pretty impressive.”
The true freshman has been doing a little bit of everything for USC, whether that’s in a receiver or a blocker capacity. He’s had 24 receptions for 283 yards this season despite missing three games due to injury, and Pro Football Focus gives him an 81.5 blocking grade.
Last season, Lake McRee and Walker Lyons were the two tight ends that made it possible to run 12 personnel so frequently. The Trojans haven’t been able to replicate that success, but Bowman is fitting perfectly into a Lincoln Riley offense that thrives on tight ends.
“He’s an aggressive, confident kid by nature,” Riley said, “and he’s very attentive. He’s learned quickly and then for anybody just to be able to step out there and make those types of plays, there’s got to be some real inner belief. And I think he he has that confidence.”
USC in CFP Rankings
The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season have been revealed, and USC came in at No. 20.
The Trojans (7-2 overall, 4-2 B1G) have now made 40 appearances in the CFP rankings since they were established in 2014 and have yet to make the playoffs. They have an opportunity to increase their chances in November with games against No. 6 Indiana (8-1, 5-1) and No. 5 UCLA (8-0, 5-0) left on the schedule.
The Hoosiers and Bruins are also in the CFP rankings at No. 4 and No. 8, respectively.
Indiana Kickoff Announced
Kickoff for USC’s Nov. 14 road matchup against No. 6 Indiana will be at 12:30 p.m. PT, and the game will be shown live on CBS (Ch. 2).
It’s the first time the Trojans haven’t been featured on NBC prime time since Week 3, when they had a 12:30 p.m. kickoff against Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J.
Miller Earns Burlsworth Nomination
Running back King Miller has picked up a nomination for the Burlsworth Trophy, which honors the best college football player in the country who began their career as a walk-on.
Miller earned a scholarship after a 2025 season in which he rushed for 972 yards and eight touchdowns on 156 carries, averaging 6.2 ypc. His breakout game of the season was against Michigan, when he ran the ball 18 times for 158 yards and a touchdown while fellow backs Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders were out with injury.
This season, Miller has collected 603 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 125 carries and has an additional seven catches for 41 receiving yards.
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