All eyes were on USC to see if the Trojans could bounce back from nightmare tiny crowd at season opener

USC Trojans opened the 2024 college football season with a 42‑26 victory over San Jose State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the game’s opening‑day attendance sparked a wave of online commentary. Fans and observers took to social media to describe the sparse crowd at kickoff as “absolutely embarrassing,” noting that the number of spectators fell far short of what many expected for a program ranked No. 14 in the nation.

A week later, USC returned to the Coliseum for its home opener against the Fresno State Bulldogs, scheduled for a Friday evening ahead of a holiday weekend. Once again, the stadium appeared relatively empty when the game began. Head coach Lincoln Riley addressed the criticism, labeling the focus on low attendance a “false narrative.” He pointed to external factors that commonly affect Los Angeles events, including heavy traffic on holiday weekends and a local culture that often favors arriving fashionably late to games.

Despite the thin early crowd, attendance noticeably improved as the game progressed. By the second quarter, a larger share of seats had been filled, and the venue showed a more typical level of occupancy for a non‑conference matchup. Riley’s comments and the observed uptick in spectators suggest that the initial turnout may reflect situational circumstances rather than a lack of interest in the team.

Looking ahead, the Trojans are set to host their first Big Ten opponent of the season when they welcome the Oregon Ducks to the Coliseum on September 26. That matchup will provide another test of whether USC can consistently draw larger crowds to its home games.