USC defeated San Jose State 42-26 on August 29, 2026, at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 25 of 29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns while adding one rushing touchdown, and the Trojans built a 35-3 lead entering the fourth quarter. San Jose State quarterback Luke Weaver passed for 234 yards and led three late touchdown drives.
No left-leaning sources covered this
“Jayden Maiava, new playmakers lead No. 14 USC to 42-26 win over San Jose State in season opener”
Read at Associated Press →“USC football makes loud opening statement in rout of San Jose State”
Read at New York Post →USC's win illustrates expanded opportunity for new contributors while reflecting resource imbalances between conferences.
“Talent development pipelines and equity in facilities and roster construction”
The result demonstrates disciplined execution and individual accountability under Lincoln Riley.
“Preparation, merit, and consequences of falling behind against a prepared opponent”
Player performance highlights individual merit and voluntary competition over institutional mandates.
“Personal skill, preparation, and athlete mobility”
All three views overstate systemic lessons from a predictable mismatch and ignore non-market structures.
“Limited value of the game for validating claims about pipelines, accountability, or free association”
Ratings by MBFC