Lincoln Riley dismisses empty seats controversy as a ‘false narrative’ after low-attendance USC home opener
The USC Trojans started their college football season on the right foot, defeating San Jose State University 42-26 in Week 0, as expected given their No. 14 ranking entering the new season.
However, some college football fans were concerned by the turnout at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after seeing many empty seats for the team’s home opener.
The Trojans are one of the top teams in the country, and though they were five-touchdown favorites entering this matchup against SJSU, pictures of the empty seats caused a stir on social media.
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USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after a play during the game between the USC Trojans and the San Jose State Spartans on Aug. 29, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. (Icon Sportswire)
The stir doesn’t matter to Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley, though.
“This is USC, right? People are going to pay attention,” Riley said in his latest press conference session. “People are going to have an opinion. It’s part of being a blue-blood school. I don’t buy into the false narrative. I think that comes from a lot of people that don’t follow our program. And most of those who have never set foot in the Coliseum.
DOES USC’S POOR OPENING GAME ATTENDANCE MEAN LINCOLN RILEY’S ON THE HOT SEAT ALREADY?
“The reality is during my years here, attendance has gone up every single year. As has our play in the Coliseum, including running the table last year in front of a lot of epic atmospheres and I expect that to happen again this year.”
In Riley’s defense, and USC fans for that matter, it was a 90-plus-degree day out in Los Angeles. Considering USC was a heavy favorite, and the West Coast is known for enjoying its summer days in various capacities, perhaps fans wanted to forego a visit to the Coliseum expecting their Trojans to win.
Football fans look on in the first half of an NCAA football game between the USC Trojans and the San José State Spartans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (MediaNews Group)
USC will be right back home on Friday, this time against Fresno State, where the high in Los Angeles is expected to be around 87 degrees. The game will kick off 6 p.m. local time.
The “false narrative” comment from Riley will likely come to fruition for other games this season, especially against ranked opponents.
USC will be taking on No. 2 Oregon at the Coliseum on Sept. 26, while hosting No. 17 Washington the following week. Also, a matchup against the current No. 1-ranked team in the country, Ohio State, will be on Halloween.
USC fans brace for the heat before a football game between San José State and USC at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Los Angeles Times)
The college season has just begun, but there’s already controversy and outside noise. Riley and the Trojans will try to keep that at bay, and perhaps more fans showing up sooner than later will quiet that noise.
