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Wk 1 · 2026

San José State Spartans at USC Trojans — Sat, Aug 29

Sat, Aug 29 · Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA · NBC FINAL

Weather

No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
Mountain West · 3-3
26
at
3:00pET
USC -37.5 · total 61.5 DraftKings opened -38.5 · 1 toward SJSU
Ratings differential USC by 27.2
Big Ten · 6-1
42

What is at stake

A non-conference game. It moves both overall records but neither conference race. USC is ranked #19 (AP Top 25 · 2026-10-04).

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

San José St: -12.8#113
Efficiency margin
USC: +12.0#24
San José St: 24.3
Offense (pts/100)
USC: 38.9
San José St: 28.1
Defense (pts/100)
USC: 17.9
San José St: 68.2
Pace (plays/g)
USC: 69.3
San José St: 5.54
Yards / play
USC: 6.67
San José St: 5.35
Yards / play allowed
USC: 5.95
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

San José St: 21.0
Points / game
USC: 36.4
San José St: 23.5
Points allowed
USC: 25.1
San José St: 378
Yards / game
USC: 462
San José St: 376
Yards allowed
USC: 350
San José St: 234
Pass yds allowed
USC: 239
San José St: 141
Rush yds allowed
USC: 111
San José St: 1.33
Turnovers / game
USC: 0.86
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

San José St form

L 13-16vs WYOW 20-16at HAWL 10-26vs FRESW 30-20vs CPW 27-21at EMU
2026 season

USC form

W 31-23at PSUW 25-21vs WASHL 27-41vs OREW 42-35at RUTGW 49-30vs UL
2026 season

San José St this season

Straight up3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Against the spread3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Over / under1-5 · 17% (6 games)

USC this season

Straight up6-1 · 86% (7 games)
Against the spread2-5 · 29% (7 games)
Over / under4-3 · 57% (7 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 1

OpponentSan José StUSC
Fresno St
Pac-12
vs L 10-26 previewvs W 39-0 preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, USC leads 4–0 · USC has won the last 4
4 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 30.0 points toward USC
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-08-29San José St 26 — 42 USCat USCUSC
20232023-08-26San José St 28 — 56 USCat USCUSC
20212021-09-04San José St 7 — 30 USCat USCUSC
20092009-09-05San José St 3 — 56 USCat USCUSC

San José St leaders 2026 regular season

PassingLuke Weaver QB #3132/209, 1529 YDS, 11 TD, 6 INT
Tama Amisone WR #70/1, 0 YDS
RushingJabari Bates RB #6120 CAR, 556 YDS, 1 TD
Viliami Teu RB #2013 CAR, 86 YDS
Luke Weaver QB #352 CAR, 74 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingCarson Clark WR #137 REC, 405 YDS, 4 TD
Cooper Hoch WR #1323 REC, 338 YDS, 3 TD
Jerry McClure WR #224 REC, 226 YDS, 1 TD
Anthony Ivey WR #1010 REC, 185 YDS
Defense
TacklesDylan Lee LB #454
Caleb Womack CB #3243
Naseri Danielson LB #341
SacksEthan Powell LB #62.5
Jayland McGlothen DL #902.5
Jeremiah Tuiileila DL #452.5
InterceptionsCaleb Womack CB #322
Dylan Lee LB #42
Naseri Danielson LB #31

USC leaders 2026 regular season

PassingJayden Maiava QB #14131/191, 1744 YDS, 15 TD, 3 INT
Jonas Williams QB #1512/14, 126 YDS, 1 INT
RushingKing Miller RB #895 CAR, 493 YDS, 3 TD
Waymond Jordan RB #257 CAR, 265 YDS, 2 TD
Shahn Alston RB #2217 CAR, 92 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingKayden Dixon-Wyatt WR #1725 REC, 372 YDS, 3 TD
Zacharyus Williams WR #014 REC, 258 YDS, 1 TD
Trent Mosley WR #413 REC, 255 YDS, 4 TD
Mark Bowman TE #1921 REC, 204 YDS, 2 TD
Defense
TacklesChristian Pierce S #635
Deven Bryant LB #1733
Luke Wafle DE #9422
SacksKennedy Urlacher S #92
Alex Graham CB #72
Jadyn Ramos DE #952
InterceptionsProphet Brown CB #162
Christian Pierce S #61
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.