USC safety Isaiah Pola-Mao shines as replacement for Bubba Bolden

LOS ANGELES — Redshirt freshman Isaiah Pola-Mao learned he was starting at strong safety for Bubba Bolden through a phone call a couple days before USC’s season-opening 43-21 win over UNLV.
“Bubba actually called me before I heard it from the coaches,” Pola-Mao said. “Me and Bubba are really close, so hopefully he gets through it all.”
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Bolden, a sophom