Key facts
- USC is ranked 14th and finished 9-4 overall, 7-2 in Big Ten play in 2025; San Jose State went 3-9 overall, 2-6 in Mountain West
- Trojans are 38.5-point favorites; over/under is 61.5 points, the widest spread and highest total on Week 0 CFB board
- USC QB Jayden Maiava completed 65.8% of passes for 3,711 yards, 24 TDs and 10 INTs in 2025; Trojans averaged 35.8 points and 465.5 yards per game
- San Jose State will start redshirt senior transfer QB Luke Weaver from Hawaii, who completed 60% of passes with 6 TDs and 3 INTs last season
- USC returned 15 starters, more than any other FBS team; kickoff is Saturday, August 29 at 3 p.m. ET at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The matchup and the setting
The 14th-ranked USC Trojans open the 2026 college football season by hosting the San Jose State Spartans on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. According to CBS Sports, USC is a 38.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 61.5 points—marking the widest spread and highest total on the Week 0 college football odds board.
Recent records and roster makeup
USC finished the 2025 season 9-4 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten Conference play, placing fourth in the conference. According to CBS Sports, the Trojans are looking to challenge for the Big Ten championship for the first time since joining the conference in 2024. USC has returned 15 starters this offseason, more than any other FBS program. San Jose State went 3-9 overall and 2-6 in Mountain West Conference play last season and is seeking improvement in 2026.
Offensive production and player stats
Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava leads the USC offense after a 2025 season in which he completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also rushed 54 times for 157 yards and six touchdowns. The Trojans finished with the eighth-best offense in Division I, averaging 465.5 yards and 35.8 points per game during the 2025 season. San Jose State will start redshirt senior transfer quarterback Luke Weaver, who played at Hawaii last season. Weaver completed 60 percent of his passes and threw for six touchdowns with three interceptions in 2025.
Historical context and scoring trends
According to CBS Sports, the two teams scored a combined 84 points when they last met in 2023. The over/under has hit in two of the three all-time meetings between USC and San Jose State. Additionally, the total has gone over in seven of the last ten San Jose State games and three of the last five USC contests.
Sources
- Sporting News — Polymarket California Promo Code TSN: Get $20 Bonus for USC-San Jose State, CFB Predictions · Kalshi California Promo Code TSNEWS: Get $25 Bonus for USC-San Jose State, CFB, MLB Trades · Novig California Promo Code TSNEWS: Get $25 Bonus for USC-San Jose State, Any Trades
- CBS Sports
- Yahoo Sports
Featured photo: Alek Leckszas via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)