Fresno State never found its rhythm, falling 39-0 to No. 14 USC in its season opener.
The Bulldogs never got anything going. Instead, the Trojans dominated early and often.
Fans noticed how poorly the Bulldogs performed behind quarterback Jayden Mandal, who was sacked five times.
Unless Fresno State is just way worse than they were supposed to, USC is legit.
— Quackademic (@Quackademics101) September 5, 2026
Feel bad for the Fresno State defense, they’ve forced 2 turnovers but the anemic offense can’t stay on the field and they’re getting gassed in the secondary
— Joe “The Sauce” Hedberg (@JoeInOregon_87) September 5, 2026
RGIII is delusional if he thinks Fresno State is better than San Jose State. San Jose State has a QB. Fresno State does not.
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) September 5, 2026
Nobody wants to hear it but this is Jayden Mandals 2nd Career Start at QB.
Should we really be shocked Fresno State got blown out. NOPE
— (@AdamC559) September 5, 2026
And Mandal was sacked in the end zone – twice for a safety.
Oddsmakers had USC favored by 21.5 points and the Trojans easily covered.
Fresno State and Mandal will have a chance to rebound next Saturday when it hosts Sacramento State at Valley Children’s Stadium.
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Anthony Galaviz writes about breaking news/sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He’s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology.
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