The USC football team begins the 2026 season against the San Jose State Spartans. There is always a certain degree of excitement attached to a season opener. How will the transfers play? How will the freshmen perform? What will the new defensive coordinator's unit look like? Will the team look sharp and dangerous? Will the boys look stronger after an offseason in the weight room? These are the questions USC must begin to answer against San Jose State.
However, this opener shouldn't be treated as a huge moment for this team. USC plays three cupcake games to start the season, followed by its Big Ten opener at Rutgers on September 19. In essence, USC gets four weeks - four games - in which to figure things out before the true start of the season against
Oregon on September 26. To be sure, USC and its fans need to see progress and get a real sense that the program is moving in the right direction. However, not every position battle or roster spot on the depth chart has to be fully resolved right now. There will be three more games after this to sort out the true hierarchy of the roster. What really matters is getting things right before Oregon. Having a settled, clear sense of the roster - who should be starting and at what position - matters in late September. Right now, USC doesn't have to have all the answers. It's a four-week project.
Get real-time updates, scoring plays, turning points and expert analysis throughout USC's game against San Jose State. Follow along for highlights, injury news, key plays and an instant breakdown:
USC vs San Jose State live updates, analysis
Refresh the page for live updates during the game.
USC vs San Jose State predictions, betting odds
Odds via BetMGM.
- USC 55, San Jose State 20. USC's offense should do whatever it wants. The defense is likely going to need some time to get up to speed.
- Spread: USC -38.5
- Total O/U: 61.5
- Moneyline: USC Not listed, San Jose State +9000
USC vs San Jose State weather forecast
- Forecasts for Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles call for a high of 91 degrees under sunny skies.
How to watch USC vs San Jose State: TV channel, streaming info
- USC vs San Jose State airs live on NBC and will be streamed on Peacock
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC vs San Jose State live updates: Score, highlights, analysis
