No. 14 USC hosts San Jose State in 2026 season opener

The No. 14 USC Trojans open their 2026 college football season on Saturday, August 29, hosting the San Jose State Spartans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Week 0 matchup, scheduled for a 3 p.m. ET kickoff, will be broadcast nationally on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

USC begins its fifth season under head coach Lincoln Riley as a significant favorite, with oddsmakers listing the Trojans as 38.5-point favorites. The game marks the start of a campaign with high expectations following a 9-4 record in 2025, which included a 7-2 mark in Big Ten play and a loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl. Quarterback Jayden Maiava returns for his second season as the starter after throwing for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns last year. The Trojans also return 15 starters from the previous season.

The contest provides a final tune-up before USC faces a demanding conference schedule. The Trojans open Big Ten play at Rutgers on September 19 and later face five ranked teams in a six-game stretch, including matchups with No. 2 Oregon, No. 1 Ohio State, and No. 6 Indiana.

San Jose State enters the game looking to improve upon a 3-9 record from 2025. The Spartans are expected to start quarterback Luke...