The Setup
This feels like a now-or-never season for USC. The Trojans return Jayden Maiava, Lincoln Riley and offensive coordinator Luke Huard together for a third consecutive year—something no other FBS program can say.
USC is 6-0 against San José State and has won nine consecutive season openers. The Spartans are replacing QB Walker Eget, who transferred to Duke, with former Hawai‘i quarterback Luke Weaver.
What I’m Watching
Can San José State make USC work for its points?
The Trojans can attack this defense in either direction. Waymond Jordan and King Miller give USC an established running game, while Maiava is one of the country’s most aggressive deep passers.
San José State does not return a defensive starter that started at least half of the team’s games last season.
Three Stats to Know
1. USC has rare continuity.
We’ll say it again — the Trojans are the only FBS program returning the same starting quarterback, head coach and offensive coordinator for a third straight year. USC had one of the nation’s best offenses in 2025. Can it get revved up in the first four games — against overmatched competition — before USC reaches a make or break 6-game stretch?
2. The rushing matchup heavily favors USC.
Jordan and Miller combined for 1,548 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 6.34 yards per carry. Last season, San José State allowed 157.9 rushing yards per game and 25 rushing touchdowns.
3. USC wants to attack deep.
According to the PFF numbers from 2025, Maiava attempted 76 passes at least 20 yards downfield—the fifth-most nationally. San José State allowed 42 completions of 20-plus yards. Can USC find the timing in the deep ball early?
How the Game Is Decided
San José State has to prevent explosive plays and create turnovers. USC went 7-0 in Maiava’s qualifying games without a quarterback turnover, but only 2-4 when he threw an interception or lost a fumble. If Maiava protects the football, the Spartans have no obvious way to take away both USC’s running game and its deep passing attack.
Prediction
USC feels likely to win going away. The question is whether the Trojans can cover a number that moved from 35.5 to 38.5 points. I’ll make my official pick on my @uthinkuknowsports TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook page later this week.