If USC had opted into the 2026 game against Notre Dame, it very well could have happened during Week 0, instead, the Trojans took on San Jose State.
Sure, it was a solid 42-26 victory, but that didn’t set social media on fire, it was the size of the crowd in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was reported by ESPN that there were 51,144 people in attendance, which is well under capacity of 77,500. It looked like much less than the reported number, as there were sections that looked barren.
Sometimes, these counts include works in the venue as well, which very much looks to be the case during USC’s home opener. Many went to social media to poke some fun at the Trojans, and here are some of the best comments.
Excuses were made for USC’s bad attendance
“They’re at the beach” “Class hasn’t started”
“It’s San Jose St” I don’t care how many excuses you have, this is simply inexcusable for a national brand And a clear sign of things to come down the road pic.twitter.com/uCvC5LtSc7
— Nick Watts 🇺🇸 (@NickWatts) August 29, 2026
As you can see from this view, it really does not look like over 50,000 people were in the stands. There are multiple sections that are very empty, and while this is just half of the stadium, it’s pretty empty. There were some excuses made as Nick Watts suggests, but it might not be the best indicator of USC’s future.
USC’s crowd was similar to a spring game
Didn’t realize USC’s spring game was today. pic.twitter.com/UB10IaZSdU
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) August 29, 2026
Here’s another angle, and there aren’t many fans in the stands. Mandel is right, this does look like the size of a spring game crowd, one where many aren’t included to make it. You have to wonder if USC made enough money back following a sizable payout to SJSU.
USC had more fans than 694…
Lots of excitement around the USC football team this year. You can tell by the 694 fans in attendance. pic.twitter.com/wLpfXgRKBo
— Chad Fisher DNP (@ChadFisherDNP) August 29, 2026
We all know this number is a joke, but for kickoff of the season opener, it’s not a good look. The Trojans have had better days, but it’s not like they’re a .500 team. They most likely won’t be a contender in the Big Ten, and now they might be questioning their move to help diminish the PAC-12.
Does USC lack recent tradition?
“Powerhouse football progam” USC vs new FBS member North Dakota State.
— Novig (@Novig) August 29, 2026
There’s levels to diehard sports fandom. (vid @BryanDFischer) pic.twitter.com/mZ2Hn4MaaM
It hasn’t been a great recent run for USC, the last conference championship coming in 2017, ducking Notre Dame and the move to a conference to give it a better chance at the CFP. Well, that hasn’t happened, and while this wasn’t a Big Ten game, it’s still a bad look. However, comparing them to a recent powerhouse in NDSU isn’t fair, one team wins consistently and fans want to see that. The other, not so much.
Is USC a HAS BEEN program now?
At what point do we agree USC is no longer a blue blood and is simply a HAS BEEN program like Nebraska and Michigan? pic.twitter.com/7QN2OkBAOT
— SEC Numbers Guy (@secnumbersguy) August 29, 2026
The last conference championship almost 10 years ago, the last national title was over twenty in 2004. The Irish have a much longer drought, and there’s not much chatter about them being included. Michigan won it just three seasons ago, and Nebraska’s last was in 1997. It’s fair to say that these are solid programs not necessarily has been’s, but just one has a massive up arrow, and that’s Notre Dame.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Social media roasts USC during its replacement game for Notre Dame
