College football is finally back! This weekend marks “Week Zero” of the 2026-2027 NFL season, a brief outing for just a handful of games to whet our appetites for what’s ahead. Fortunately, though, we won’t have to wait until the first full week of football to hit for NBC Sports to begin their coverage.
On the first day of the 2026-2027 FBS season, you’ll be able to catch Big Ten football live on NBC and streaming simultaneously on Peacock, as the USC Trojans try to get back in the conference title mix with a visit from a rising Mountain West team. Let’s take a closer look at what’s ahead.
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How to Watch the San Jose State Spartans vs. the USC Trojans
The San Jose State Spartans and the USC Trojans both open their 2026-2027 seasons on Saturday, August 29 at 3 p.m. ET. You’ll be able to catch the action live on NBC or stream it simultaneously on Peacock.
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Who’s on the broadcast team for Spartans vs. Trojans?
The Big Ten Saturday Night team of play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle, analyst Todd Blackledge, and sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen will be on hand to call this, the first NBC Sports game of the college football season. Terry McAulay will serve as rules analyst. Want even more football coverage? Tune in at 2:30 p.m. ET for Big Ten College Countdown, looking ahead at the first week of action in the new season.
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Where is USC vs. San Jose State being played?
The San Jose State Spartans and the USC Trojans mark a clash between two southern California schools, and they’ll be playing in a classic southern California venue. The Trojans will open their season on their home turf, the iconic Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.
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What to expect from San Jose State vs. USC
The Trojans are without question the favorites to win this game. They enter the season ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll, and while they’re not Big Ten conference favorites on the scale of Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana, they are well-positioned for a solid run this season, maybe even a trip to the College Football Playoff if they catch a break here and there. They’ve got Jayden Maiava back after a great rookie season leading the offense, and former TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson joining the staff as a defensive coordinator. With the right defensive overhaul, the Trojans could be major contenders in the Big Ten.
As for the Spartans, there’s reason for hope at San Jose State. The Spartans limped through a lot of 2025 with injuries, which meant the progress they’d made in 2024 seemed to grind to a halt a little bit, but that’s not going to stop them. Under head coach Ken Niumatalolo, they made big gains two seasons ago, and they can do it again. The question is, after many of last year’s starters have moved on, whether they have the right talent in the right places to make it happen.
Catch Big Ten football all season long on NBC and Peacock.