Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-26vs San José State | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 0 | 25 | Season-high 25 yds |
| Total | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 0 | 25 |
#88
Taniela Tupou
Freshman tight end for USC. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 255 lb · Carmichael, CA · Folsom HS
Returning to USC for 2026
The numbers
25
receiving yards · 2026
1 catches · 25 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 25 yds, vs San José State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 tight end for USC. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to USC in 2025.
- 26 receiving yards in 2025. Then 25 in 2026.
Taniela Tupou
Second year in the USC receiving corps, same address the whole way. The receipt on tape: 25 rec yds, 1 receptions against San José State, Week 1, 2026.
25 REC YDS · 1 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with USC3-star out of Folsom
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
USC
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Lincoln Riley — 12-4 over that span.
2025USC9-4HC: Lincoln Riley · Balanced
2026USC3-0HC: Lincoln Riley · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / catch (100th percentile). Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 REC/g, 25.0 YDS/g, 25.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lincoln Riley
Pass share
46.0%
97 pass / 114 run
Plays / game
70.3
3 games
Team sack rate
2.0%
102 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
USC
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · USC
Returning around him
- 59% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 3 USC players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -13 net (9 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
USC · Last season: 9-4 (AP #16) · Talent rank #9 · 2026 recruiting class #1
Background
2026: Tupou will compete for playing time at tight end as a redshirt freshman in 2026. 2025: Tupou, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2025 after graduating a semester early from high school, saw action in 5 games (Missouri State, Georgia Southern, Oregon, UCLA and the Alamo Bowl versus TCU) as...
The tight end room · USC
- #24Carson Tabaracci32 receiving yards · 2025
- #88Taniela Tupou26 receiving yards · 2025
- #84Tucker Ashcraft10 receiving yards · 2025
- #87Josiah Jeffersonno box-score line yet
- #38Patrick O'Brienno box-score line yet
4 more on the roster · USC team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology