{"id":454853,"date":"2026-09-05T21:32:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T21:32:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/454853\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T21:32:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T21:32:51","slug":"matt-leinart-challenges-usc-attendance-narrative-before-fresno-state-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/454853\/","title":{"rendered":"Matt Leinart challenges USC attendance narrative before Fresno State game"},"content":{"rendered":"

If anyone remembers when the Coliseum\u2019s announced attendance didn\u2019t come with a social media debate, it\u2019s Matt Leinart.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

During Leinart\u2019s reign as the USC Trojans\u2019 quarterback, the old concrete bowl was the epicenter of football in Los Angeles. Each and every game it was packed with fans watching two Heisman Trophy winners lead the Trojans through one of the greatest stretches in program history. There was never any doubt whether or not the program mattered.<\/p>\n

But Last Saturday afternoon, the echoes reverberated louder than the crowd.<\/p>\n

USC opened its 2026 season with a 42-26 victory over San Jose State <\/a>in front of an \u201cannounced\u201d crowd of 51,144 fans at the 77,500-seat capacity Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.<\/p>\n

A general view of the Tiger Squadron flyover during the playing of the national anthem before the game between the Southern California Trojans and the San Jose State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday, August 29, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Videos from those in attendance during the game show empty patches of cardinal-colored seats that quickly became a national talking point<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The videos circulated on social media<\/a>. Jokes, arguments, and excuses followed. They ranged from the triple-digit heat index<\/a> to USC students not yet back at school to the opponent and other entertainment options available.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leinart witnessed it all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner isn\u2019t ready to declare USC football dead because of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really buy into the narrative or the big picture of it all,\u201d Leinart told the California Post exclusively Wednesday during a DraftKings Gameday event in Los Angeles. \u201cIt is the first game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, Leinart wasn\u2019t going to pretend the optics looked good.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, as a proud alum \u2014 obviously, I love football and I love USC \u2014 when you\u2019re sitting there, naturally it\u2019s a bummer that it\u2019s not packed and [fans] aren\u2019t rooting these kids on,\u201d Leinart said. \u201cI get that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defensive tackle Jide Abasiri of the USC Trojans reacts after stopping running back Isaiah Carlson of the San Jos\u00e9 State Spartans for a turnover on downs in the first half of a NCAA football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 29, 2026. The USC Trojans defeated the San Jos\u00e9 State Spartans 42-26. MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n

What he doesn\u2019t get is the idea that just because of one disappointing crowd there should be some grand referendum on USC football under head coach Lincoln Riley.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand that people take the narrative and then they start trashing USC and all that,\u201d Leinart said. \u201cAt the end of the day, that locker room and that coaching staff, that\u2019s really all that matters. They\u2019ve just got to go out there and win games and everything else takes care of itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Riley fired back<\/a>, calling it a \u201cfalse narrative,\u201d and pointed out attendance has gone up every year he\u2019s been there.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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USC averaged 71,571 per game in 2024 and 67,782 in 2025. That\u2019s roughly 93% of capacity, and one of the highest for a stadium of that size. Those average attendance numbers ranked USC 19th in all of the FBS and sixth in the Big 10 behind Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State, three stadiums that all have a capacity of over 100,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, in those three cities, college football is the only game in town. Not in Los Angeles. The City of Angels has always been a demanding sports town. Give it a winner and the city will move mountains to get inside the building. The back-to-back World Series Champion Dodgers lead all of MLB in attendance each and every year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But give fans mediocrity and they\u2019ll move on to any of the approximately 10 million other things to do in the city. Leinart knows what the Coliseum can become when USC gives L.A. a team that can compete for the national championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Coliseum is a great place to play football, man,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

USC Trojans quarterback Matt Leinart warms up before the start of the BCS National Championship Rose Bowl Game against the Texas Longhorns on January 4, 2006, in Pasadena, California. (Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

Which brings us to Friday night.<\/p>\n

USC hosts Fresno State at 6 p.m., and suddenly attendance has become an unofficial subplot to the actual football game. The afternoon heat won\u2019t be nearly as convenient an explanation this time. Neither will the kickoff time.<\/p>\n

A Friday night in L.A. comes with its own obstacle course \u2014 namely traffic \u2014 and Fresno State isn\u2019t Oregon or Ohio State. But after a week spent debating whether USC fans have become apathetic, the Coliseum\u2019s turnstiles will provide another piece of evidence.<\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re thinking about going to the game, Leinart has a simple request:<\/p>\n

\u201cI would just encourage fans to come out, show your support,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great home schedule. Oregon, Ohio State \u2014 you\u2019ve got some big-time teams coming in and that team is going to need all the help they can get from fans and the energy and the passion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fox Sports commentator Matt Leinart looks on prior to the 2025 Big Ten Football Championship between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Dec. 6, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images<\/p>\n

The reality is there\u2019s only one way for USC to solve its attendance problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Win.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, USC is 1-0,\u201d Leinart said. \u201cThey get Fresno State this weekend. You\u2019ve just got to keep stacking chips. You\u2019ve got to win the games you\u2019re supposed to, and then you\u2019ve got to go out there against teams like Oregon and Ohio State and prove that you belong in that conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s the opportunity that they have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friday night offers another opportunity, too.<\/p>\n

For USC to keep winning.<\/p>\n

And for fans to start showing up.<\/p>\n

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