LOS ANGELES - It wasn't pretty. It wasn't explosive. But when the final whistle blew, USC had its win. In front of 71,204 fans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Trojans opened their 2026 campaign with a 24-10 victory over San Jose State - a scoreline that flattered a game far more competitive than the numbers suggest. Jayden Maiava took every snap under center, completing 19 of 30 passes for 221 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He wasn't electric, but he was efficient enough to keep drives alive when it mattered.
The ground game told the real story. Bryan Jackson (No. 22) put in a proper workhorse shift, grinding out 88 yards on 14 carries and capping the night with a crucial 2-yard touchdown plunge in the fourth quarter that finally gave the Trojans some breathing room. It's the kind of clock-control running Lincoln Riley has been craving since he arrived in Los Angeles. The head coach didn't mince words afterward: "We didn't play a clean game, but that was a gritty, physical win against a really well-coached team. Our defense made the stops when we had to." He made a point to praise the run game for owning the clock in the second half.
Defensively, the Trojans flashed the disruptive potential fans have been begging to see. DeShawn Lynch announced his arrival in his USC debut with 1.5 sacks, anchoring a front that racked up three sacks and limited San Jose State to just 43 net rushing yards. Spartans quarterback Walker Eget managed 165 yards through the air and connected with Malik Edwards for a 16-yard score, but the Trojans' defense tightened up in critical moments. Sage Vaillanueva slammed the door shut with an interception at the 3:59 mark of the fourth quarter, extinguishing any comeback hopes. The win stretches USC's all-time series dominance to 5-0.
📊 USC limited San Jose State to just 43 net rushing yards - A dominant front-seven performance that set the tone for the entire afternoon.
| Category | USC | San Jose State |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 221 (Maiava) | 165 (Eget) |
| Rushing Yards | 88 (Jackson) | 43 (Team) |
| Total Yards | 347 | 208 |
| Sacks | 3 | 1 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
The Concern: Sloppiness and Stagnation
Here's the hard truth, Trojan faithful - this wasn't the statement opener anyone hoped for. USC managed just 347 total yards and 24 points against a Mountain West opponent. That's not the kind of output that sends shivers through Big Ten schedules. Maiava's interception and the overall shortage of explosive plays will dominate the conversation this week. Riley acknowledged the offensive line's struggles, and things got worse when starting guard Alani Noa left in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Riley confirmed Noa is "day-to-day" - optimistic, but hardly a guarantee.
📊 USC averaged just 347 total yards and 24.0 points per game in Week 1 - Ranked 78th and 87th nationally, respectively, numbers that won't cut it in Big Ten play.
There was also a scare on special teams, where true freshman Dylan Stewart's hustle plays earned him a promotion to the two-deep depth chart for Week 2 - a bright spot from an otherwise tense afternoon. Fox Sports 1's broadcast caught plenty of anxious faces in the stands, and rightfully so. This team still looks like it's figuring itself out, not like one ready to challenge for a conference title.
Poll Fallout and Early Betting Signals
The playoff committee wasn't watching, but AP voters were - and they weren't moved. On September 1, USC slipped three spots from No. 17 to No. 20 in the latest AP Top 25 poll. That's the price of a 14-point home win over an unranked opponent. San Jose State remains unranked, as expected.
