The No. 14 ranked USC Trojans kicked off their 2026 college football season with a 42-26 win over the San Jose State Spartans, but trust me, the score isn’t what everyone’s talking about. The real conversation nationwide is all about the shockingly poor attendance at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for that Week 0 opener, with empty seats dominating the broadcast on a sunny day.
The “False Narrative” vs. The Fact of Empty Seats
USC head coach Lincoln Riley is out here calling it a “false narrative,” telling the press that he doesn’t “buy into” the concerns about home game attendance. He went on to say it “comes from a lot of people who don’t follow our program and most of those who have never stepped foot in the Coliseum.” Riley pointed to attendance going up every single year he’s been there and last season running the table in “epic atmospheres.” But here’s the kicker: the Coliseum seats 77,500, and only 51,144 people actually bought tickets for the San Jose State game. That’s the lowest attendance number for the Trojans since 2018, not counting the 2020 COVID season. Last year, 2025, they averaged 67,783 people, which ranked ninth in the Big Ten. The program even released a statement to USA TODAY Sports acknowledging they “understand the factors that impacted Saturday’s attendance” and are looking forward to “increased attendance the rest of the season.” So, is it a false narrative when the numbers are right there, coach?
On-Field Dominance Can’t Be Ignored
Alright, so the seats might have been empty, but the Trojans actually balled out on the field. They jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead and were up by as many as 32 points, hitting 35-3 at the start of the fourth quarter. The offense looked sharp, racking up 504 total yards. Quarterback Jayden Maiava was slingin’ it, throwing for 286 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He posted a 191.8 passer rating and completed a ridiculous 86.2% of his passes, going 25 of 29, plus he rushed for a score himself. The ground game was solid too, with the Trojans rushing for 166 yards and four touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry. Wide receiver Trent Mosley was a beast, hauling in a game-high seven receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown. These guys played like a top-15 team.
Lincoln Riley, now in his fifth season, has a combined 36-18 record with USC, going 9-4 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play last year. They haven’t made the College Football Playoff under him yet, which for a “blue-blood school” like USC, that’s definitely a priority.
Next Up: Fresno State and A Chance to Fill the Seats
The Trojans are back home this Friday, hosting the Fresno State Bulldogs. If USC wants to back up Riley’s talk about those “epic atmospheres,” this is their chance. After a performance like Week 0, maybe those 51,144 fans can tell their friends what they missed and get some more bodies in the building. Because an electric Coliseum atmosphere, as the school itself said, “can provide our program” a real competitive advantage. Let’s see if the faithful show up this time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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