USC has announced a thrilling Week Zero opponent to kick off the 2026 college football season: San Jose State. But here's where it gets controversial... While USC is returning key players and aiming for a strong 2026 campaign, some fans might be wondering, is San Jose State the right choice for an opening game? The Trojans, led by head coach Lincoln Riley, are coming off a 9-4 season and are looking to turn things around. However, the question remains: can they truly turn their public narrative around with a win against San Jose State? The Spartans, led by head coach Ken Niumatalolo, will visit Southern California for the seventh time in program history. USC holds a 6-0 all-time record over San Jose State, with each game occurring in the Coliseum. In their most recent encounter, the Trojans defeated the Spartans 56-28 to open the 2023 season. The Trojans are 37-1-1 versus teams from the Mountain West (not including 2 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 39-1-1). USC is returning numerous key players from its roster from last season, most notably quarterback Jayden Maiava, who started all 13 of USC's games last season. Maiava completed 65.8% of his pass attempts for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns, compared to 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 156 yards and six scores. But is this enough to turn the tide? What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know if you think USC can turn its public narrative around with a win against San Jose State.
