USC faces criticism following low home opener attendance at the Coliseum

USC reported an attendance of 51,144 for its August season opener against San Jose State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This figure represents the lowest turnout of the Lincoln Riley era and the fewest fans at a home game since 2018. Officials attributed the turnout to extreme weather conditions, as temperatures in Los Angeles exceeded 100 degrees during the Week 0 contest. With a stadium capacity of 77,500, the game featured over 26,000 empty seats, leading to public criticism regarding the state of the fanbase. Riley dismissed concerns about the turnout, stating that internal program data shows attendance has improved steadily during his tenure.

• 7:00 AMYahoo Sports — 'Absolute disgrace': Why USC became joke of college football with low attendance for home opener