USC opened its season at home in Week 0, but the bigger story out of the Coliseum had less to do with the scoreboard and more to do with the empty seats.
The Trojans hosted San Jose State in Los Angeles in the middle of August, and the conditions were rough from the jump. With temperatures topping 100 degrees, fans did not show up in the kind of numbers USC would have hoped for in its home opener. The official attendance was 51,144, which was the lowest of the Lincoln Riley era and the lowest since the 2018 season.
That turnout was enough to set off a wave of ridicule online, with critics taking aim at the fan base and wondering whether USC supporters cared enough to pack the stadium. Among the reactions were comments like, “This insane.
Isn’t USC supposed to be pretty solid?” and “Fans should be embarrassed.”
Another post joked, “Didn’t realize USC’s spring game was today.”
The Coliseum has long been USC’s home. The Trojans play their games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a venue that also hosts UCLA games during the season and the Rose Bowl in the postseason. USC first started playing there in 1923, giving the program more than 100 years at the iconic stadium.
For home games, the Coliseum’s capacity is 77,500, which makes it the 18th-biggest stadium in the country. Against San Jose State, that left more than 26,000 seats empty.
USC, though, pointed to the weather and timing as the main reasons for the sparse crowd. In a statement to USA Today, the school said, "We understand the factors that impacted Saturday’s attendance," adding, "We have high expectations and a premier home schedule this season, and we know the competitive advantage an electric Coliseum atmosphere can provide our program. We thank our fans who showed up Saturday and look forward to seeing increased attendance the rest of the season."
Lincoln Riley also pushed back on the reaction. He said, “I think that comes from a lot of people who don’t follow our program, most of those who have never stepped foot in the Coliseum. The reality is during my years here attendance has gone up every single year” pic.twitter.com/vAZDwW4dKr
and then added, "This is USC, right? People are gonna pay attention.
People are gonna have an opinion. It’s part of being a blue blood school," Riley said.
"I don't buy into the false narrative. I think that comes from a lot of people who don't follow our program, most of those have never stepped foot into the Coliseum.
The reality is that during my years here, attendance has gone up every year."
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