Jayden Maiava‘s NIL got a huge jump this season after the Michigan game. Yes, he received a $339,000 rise in his NIL value. With that, his $2.4 million became nearly $2.6 million, and he joined elite players like John Mateer and Ryan Williams. However, after his struggling performance against Nebraska, there was a significant drop. Yes, a steep drop in the NIL value.

In that game against the Cornhuskers, Maiava couldn’t find a rhythm in the passing game, completing just 9 of his 23 passes. He showed grit under pressure, keeping drives alive and leading USC to a 21-17 win. But HC Lincoln Riley didn’t sugarcoat the mistakes, and the impact was immediate. His NIL valuation took a hit, dropping $260,000 to sit at $2.2 million, according to ON3 NIL Valuation.

But before the Michigan game, that value was really high. Maiava reportedly had an NIL valuation of $604,000 per year. And that definitely matched the Heisman favorites’ on-field performance. “He’s been unbelievable,” mentioned former NFL QB Carson Palmer, referring to Maiava’s rising draft stock. This season, even in a loss to Illinois, he torched defenses for 364 yards.

Now, while with this kind of display, the Heisman isn’t just a dream, the struggle against Nebraska shouldn’t be taken lightly. USC’s passing attack stalled, managing only 30 yards through 3 quarters. The Trojans HC didn’t mince words and said, “We weren’t sharp in the throw game… we had a couple of protection issues… we just weren’t sharp enough against a good pass defense.”

But down 17-14 in the fourth, Maiava fought back, calling a bold flea flicker to Bryan Jackson. Before that, he connected with Jaden Richardson for a 43-yard completion. Due to his impressive performance this season, following a rocky freshman campaign with six interceptions in seven games, he was ranked 13th in the country based on his NIL value. The turnovers and interceptions become another cause for concern with his inability to find his man at times.

Thus, his NIL scenario has changed with his 11% drop in NIL. Still, his partnerships with supplement brands, youth sports, and athletic clothing companies are unlikely to slow down. Nevertheless, his Heisman stock can take a significant blow with such performance.

Can Jayden Maiava stay in the Heisman race?

With IU’s Fernando Mendoza and Crimson Tide’s Ty Simpson emerging as frontrunners, Maiava’s shaky performance against Nebraska dealt a hard blow. According to the ON3 report, the USC QB has odds of +10000 to win the Heisman Trophy. Now, if Maiava wants to be a serious contender, he will need a strong finish this season.

However, USC’s struggles on the road, unlike their home games, have been evident as they lost two on the road. Yes, they got a win against Nebraska, but the offense never really clicked, managing only two field goals in the first half. Even after seizing the lead, the Trojans had to punt late in the fourth. Now with Dan Lanning’s Oregon looming, if USC wants to keep its winning streak alive, it needs precision.

Still, the USC HC isn’t sweating just yet. Probably that’s why, after all of these struggles, Riley said, “I’ve never cared a whole lot about how many times we run it or throw it. Honestly, I pay very little attention to it. Like at halftime, it’s one of the things I rarely look at. To me, it’s about how they’re playing us—are we challenging them, or are we doing things that can help us be effective?”

Now we will see if effectiveness can be shown against the Ducks or not. But if Jayden Maiava needs to increase his NIL value, he should put in some hard work and take USC home. Otherwise, go down the pecking ladder.