The USC Trojans kicked off their college football season by defeating San Jose State University 42-26 in Week 0. With their No. 14 ranking, the victory was expected. However, the turnout at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum raised eyebrows. Many empty seats were visible during the team’s home opener despite the Trojans being a top team.
Coach Lincoln Riley addressed the concerns about attendance during a press conference. He remarked, “This is USC. People are going to pay attention. People are going to have an opinion. It’s part of being a blue-blood school. I don’t buy into the false narrative.” Riley believes that critics who question USC’s attendance likely haven’t experienced the Coliseum.
“The reality is, during my years here, attendance has gone up every single year,” Riley said. “As has our play in the Coliseum, including running the table last year in front of a lot of epic atmospheres, and I expect that to happen again this year.”
Critics should consider the 90-plus-degree weather in Los Angeles during the home opener. Many fans may have preferred to enjoy the warm day elsewhere, confident in the Trojans’ predicted victory.
USC will face Fresno State at home next, with the temperature expected to be around 87 degrees. The Trojans will play against several strong teams, including No. 2 Oregon and No. 17 Washington, both at the Coliseum, and a game against No. 1 Ohio State. The “false narrative” about attendance might persist but with upcoming challenging games, more fans might turn up.
Coach Riley remains focused on keeping the noise at bay as the season progresses. The team hopes for more fan presence in the coming games.
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