SAN JOSE STATE AT No. 14 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Records: Season opener for both teams
Kickoff: Noon Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
TV: NBC
Series history: USC leads 6-0. All six previous meetings have been played at the Coliseum. USC won the most recent matchup 56-28 to open the 2023 season.
SJSU storylines: The Spartans will have a new starting quarterback in redshirt senior Luke Weaver, who won a three-way competition with Daniel Rolovich and Robert McDaniel. … Weaver transferred to SJSU from Hawaii and will make his first start for the Spartans. … SJSU has 48 new players on its 102-player roster, including 33 transfers. Only three players on the roster started at least six games last year.
USC storylines: The Trojans are coming off a 9-4 season in their second year in the Big Ten. … Quarterback Jayden Maiava returns after throwing for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. … Former TCU head coach Gary Patterson takes over as USC’s defensive coordinator.
Stats that matter: USC averaged 35.8 points and 465.5 total yards per game last season, including 296 passing yards per game. … San Jose State allowed 255.2 passing yards per game in 2025, ranking 114th in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Their 8.53 yards per attempt allowed was fifth-worst in FBS. … The Spartans last beat a Big Ten team on Sept. 21, 2002, when they won 38-35 at Illinois. Their last road win over a ranked team was Nov. 1, 1980, when they beat No. 10/11 Baylor 30-22. … Weaver played in five games for Hawaii in 2025, completing 63 passes for 628 yards and six touchdowns, including the winning score in the Hawaii Bowl against Cal. … Temperatures are expected to be in the 90s in Los Angeles.