USC opens the 2026 season on Saturday with San Jose State coming to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and while the Trojans enter as 38.5-point favorites, the Spartans still bring a few names worth tracking.
The matchup kicks off at 12 p.m. PT on NBC, and it arrives with USC carrying plenty of momentum from a 2025 season that ended at 9-4 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play.
Now in his fifth year with the program, Lincoln Riley has the Trojans staring at big expectations and a push to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. USC has also won nine straight season openers, and it has beaten San Jose State in all six meetings between the programs.
Their last matchup came in 2023, when Caleb Williams and the Trojans rolled to a 56-28 win at the Coliseum.
For San Jose State, the biggest storyline starts at quarterback. Hawaii transfer Luke Weaver was named the starter for this game, and he arrives with a modest but interesting sample from last season.
In one year with the Rainbow Warriors, Weaver threw for 628 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 60 percent of his passes. He spent most of the year behind Micah Alejado, but when Weaver got starts against Portland State and Sam Houston State, he topped 200 passing yards in both games.
That means Weaver gets thrown right into a tough first assignment against a USC defense now directed by Gary Patterson.
The Spartans also have a veteran presence to lean on in the middle of the defense. Senior linebacker Ethan Powell is set for his fifth season with San Jose State, and he has logged 90 total tackles, one interception and one sack in his career. His 2025 season was his best yet in terms of production, finishing with 37 total tackles.
San Jose State’s backfield has a new lead runner as well. With Steve Chavez-Soto transferring to Utah, Jabari Bates steps in as the Spartans’ starting running back.
Bates has rushed for 476 yards and three touchdowns on 97 carries over three seasons. His biggest game last year came in a 31-28 win over Idaho, when he piled up 131 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Whether Bates can get anything going on the ground will be one of the early questions, especially with USC’s rush defense missing sophomore defensive end Jahkeem Stewart because of a foot injury.
San Jose State enters after a rough 2025 season, finishing 3-9 overall and 2-6 in Mountain West play. All three of the Spartans’ wins came at home and all were tight, coming against Idaho, New Mexico and Hawaii. Their biggest tests came on the road against Texas and Stanford, where they lost 31-7 in Austin to Arch Manning’s Longhorns and then fell just short in a 30-29 loss to the Cardinal.
After Saturday, USC will continue non-conference play at home against Fresno State and Louisiana. For now, though, the Trojans’ focus is on starting fast and keeping that season-opening streak alive.
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USC is getting an early look at one of the most coveted defensive backs in the 2028 class, as four-star safety Jalen Flowers is set to be on campus for the season opener against San Jos State. Flowers, one of the top California talents in his class, already has a profile that has made him a priority for major programs across the country, and the Trojans will have one of their first chances to make a strong impression in person.
The visit schedule could only sharpen the competition. Flowers is also expected back for USCs game against Ohio State, giving the Trojans another shot at showing what their program has to offer while he continues to sort through nearly 40 scholarship offers. For USC, landing a player with that kind of national attention will take more than a game-day atmosphere, but getting him on campus this early is a meaningful first step. [Read more 🡒]
USC May Have Found A New Defensive Strength Under Gary Patterson
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For Stephens, the adjustment has come with some clear buy-in, and that matters for a position group that is expected to carry a heavier load this fall. Transfers and younger linebackers are also in line to factor in, giving USC a mix of experience and upside as Patterson continues shaping the scheme. The bigger question now is whether the Trojans can turn that confidence into a real edge on Saturdays, because if this group settles in quickly, it could quietly become one of the most useful pieces on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
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Trent Mosley has also emerged as more than just another young wideout, with the staff viewing him as a potential playmaker who can help on special teams right away. On the line and at tight end, Mark Bowman is trending toward the starting job and Keenyi Pepe looks like a useful backup tackle, giving the Trojans a first-year group that could end up shaping the offense sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]