Pick details
| MATCHUP | San José State Spartans | USC Trojans |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Spread | +39.5 -112 | -39.5 -108 |
| Moneyline | +5000 | -100000 |
| Total | Over 60.5 (-115) | Under 60.5 (-105) |
| Where | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | |
| When | Saturday, August 29, 2026 | |
| Time | 03:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | NBC | |
USC Trojans Preview
USC finished last season with a 9-4 overall record, 7-2 conference record and were placed 5th place of the Big Ten conference. They had a 7-0 home record and a 2-3 road record and were 5-8 against the spread and 7-6 in over/under.
Offensively the Trojans scored 35.8 points per game last season, which ranked 13th in the nation. Defensively, they allowed 23 points per game, which ranked 51st in the nation. USC averaged 465.5 total yards per game last season, with 169.5 average rushing yards and 296 average passing yards per game. They allowed 350.8 total yards per game, 143.2 of them rushing and 207.5 passing yards per game.
Jayden Maiava led the Trojans with 265/403 completed passes and 3711 total passing yards and had 24 touchdowns. King Miller led the team in rushing yards, with 972, adding a team-high 8 touchdowns, while Makai Lemon had a team-high 79 caught passes for a team-high 1156 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, Desman Stephens II had a team-high 89 total tackles, 59 of them solo, while Kameryn Crawford led the Trojans in sacks, with 5.5.
San Jose State Spartans Preview
San Jose State finished last season with a 3-9 overall record, 2-6 conference record and were placed 11th place of the Mountain West conference. They had a 3-3 home record and a 0-6 road record and were 4-8 against the spread and 7-5 in over/under.
Offensively the Spartans scored 21.4 points per game last season, which ranked 113th in the nation. Defensively, they allowed 32.5 points per game, which ranked 121st in the nation. San Jose State averaged 402.3 total yards per game last season, with 119.7 average rushing yards and 282.6 average passing yards per game. They allowed 403.2 total yards per game, 157.9 of them rushing and 245.3 passing yards per game.
Walker Eget led the Spartans with 232/393 completed passes and 3051 total passing yards and had 17 touchdowns. Steve Chavez-Soto led the team in rushing yards, with 448, adding a team-high 7 touchdowns, while Danny Scudero had a team-high 88 caught passes for a team-high 1297 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Defensively, Jordan Pollard had a team-high 108 total tackles, 58 of them solo, while Vili Taufatofua led the Spartans in sacks, with 3.0.
San Jose State Spartans @ USC Trojans Betting Trends: Week 1
Why the USC Trojans will win
- USC has won each of its last 16 home games as an AP-ranked team against a non-AP-ranked team.
- San Jose State has lost each of its last 13 games against AP-ranked teams.
- San Jose State has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four games.
- USC has covered the spread in nine of its last 11 games against non-conference opponents at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
- USC has won the first quarter in each of its last six games against opponents from the Mountain West Conference.
- USC has won the first half in eight of its last nine games against non-conference opponents at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Why the San Jose State Spartans will win
- San Jose State has covered the spread in each of its last seven road games against non-conference opponents.
- USC has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four games.
- USC has lost the first half in seven of its last eight games as an AP-ranked team.
Total Points Facts
- Ten of San Jose State’s last 11 road openers have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of USC’s last four games in August have gone OVER the total points line.
USC Trojans Player Prop Facts
- Jayden Maiava ranked 5th amongst FBS players for passing yards (3711) last season.
San Jose State Spartans Player Prop Facts
- Trent Carrizosa ranked 5th in the Mountain West Conference amongst qualified players for gross average yards per punt (45.6) last season.
Matchup/League Facts
- USC ranked 5th among FBS teams for passing yards per game last season (296.0).
- USC ranked 5th among FBS teams for 3rd down conversion percentage last season (51.3).
- San Jose State ranked 135th among FBS teams for 4th down conversion percentage against last season (79.3).
- San Jose State ranked 134th among FBS teams for 4th down conversion percentage last season (26.1).
San Jose State vs USC Prediction
USC has won all of its three meetings against San Jose State, all of them at home, having covered the spread in two of those. In this San Jose State vs USC Prediction, USC is coming as -38.5 home favorites. USC has been the superior team last season, having the 13th-best offense in the country and was undefeated at home. On the flip side, San Jose State ranked well below the top-100 both offensively and defensively and was winless on the road. USC has been a top-20 team in most power rankings for the next season, while San Jose State almost falls down to the bottom-10 in some. The difference is huge in this one, so I will take USC to cover the big number.
Nikos Lagouretos's Pick: USC -38.5
