Not even bargain-bin USC tickets could rescue LA’s embarrassing turnout

USC gave its fans everything they could have wanted from a season opener.

The problem was finding them in the Coliseum to enjoy it.

No. 14 USC opened its 2026 campaign with a 42-26 victory over San Jose State. The Trojans led 28-0 at halftime and pushed the margin to 42-3 before the Spartans scored 23 fourth-quarter points.

Jayden Maiava controlled the offense, USC’s freshmen contributed immediately and Gary Patterson’s defense dominated for three quarters. The Trojans looked capable of justifying their preseason College Football Playoff expectations.

The nationally televised view of the stands was less convincing.

USC announced an attendance of 51,144, but large sections of the 77,500-seat Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum remained empty at kickoff.

“Coliseum looks about one-third full in the late August heat,” California Post reporter Ben Bolch posted on X early in the game.

Price was hardly the obstacle. Arash Markazi reported that resale tickets had fallen to $6 on TickPick, cheaper than most stadium concessions.

A general view of the Tiger Squadron flyover during the playing of the national anthem before the game between the Southern California Trojans and the San Jose State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday, August 29, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There were reasonable explanations. The game began at noon during a Southern California heat wave, with temperatures in the high 90s and virtually no shade inside the Coliseum. San Jose State was coming off a 3-9 season, while USC entered favored by more than five touchdowns.

Still, Week 0 arrived at an ideal time for USC to command Los Angeles’ attention. The Dodgers were playing in Detroit, the Lakers had not begun training camp, and the Rams and Chargers had yet to start their regular seasons.

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Fans of the USC Trojans cheer in the stands before the start of the BCS National Championship Rose Bowl Game between the Trojans and the Texas Longhorns at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006. Getty Images

USC had a rare opening in the city’s crowded sports calendar. Instead, the turnout reinforced LA’s reputation for waiting until the stakes rise before showing up.

The Trojans averaged 67,783 home fans in 2025, but Riley has acknowledged that their history alone will not fill the Coliseum.

“You have to win. You have to give them something,” Riley said last season.

USC delivered the win Saturday. Upcoming visits from Oregon, Washington and Ohio State should produce different scenes.

For now, the Trojans’ performance supplied optimism while the crowd provided a reminder: Winning back Los Angeles may take longer than beating San Jose State.