USC Coach Addresses Attendance Concerns Following Season Opener

The USC Trojans began their 2026 college football season with a victory over the San Jose State Spartans, but concerns about attendance overshadowed the win. The game, held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, saw a notably low turnout, with only 51,144 tickets sold, marking the lowest attendance since 2018, excluding the 2020 season when fans were not allowed due to COVID-19.

Head coach Lincoln Riley addressed these attendance concerns in a press conference, dismissing them as a 'false narrative' and emphasizing that attendance has increased during his tenure. He noted that the atmosphere at the Coliseum has improved, particularly after a successful previous season where the Trojans averaged 67,783 attendees per game.

USC acknowledged the factors affecting attendance and expressed gratitude to the fans who attended the opener. The Trojans are set to host the Fresno State Bulldogs next, with hopes for better turnout as the season progresses.