San Jose State vs. USC Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest College Football Odds for Saturday, August 29th
San Jose State opens the 2026 season with one of the most difficult assignments in Week 0, traveling to Los Angeles to face No. 14 USC. Lincoln Riley brings back an experienced offense led by Jayden Maiava, while Ken Niumatalolo enters Year 3 trying to rebuild a Spartans roster that underwent enormous offseason turnover.
Peter Alexis - August 29, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT
4 Minute ReadSan Jose State vs. USC Prediction: How Many Points Will Jayden Maiava, Trojans Put Up in Saturday's Opener?
San Jose State and USC kick off at 3:00 PM ET on NBC from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC is favored by 38.5 points with the total set at 61.5, creating a game where the Trojans are expected to do the overwhelming majority of the scoring.
USC went 9-4 last season and finished 7-2 in Big Ten play before losing 30-27 in overtime to TCU in the Alamo Bowl. The Trojans still produced one of the country's most dangerous offenses, ranking No. 7 nationally with 297.3 passing yards per game and No. 10 with 471.6 total yards. Maiava returns behind an offensive line that brings back four established starters despite losing projected center Kilian O'Connor to injury.
San Jose State vs. USC Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Saturday, August 29th, 2026
- Time: 3:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: NBC
San Jose State vs. USC Odds
Click here for the latest San Jose State vs. USC Odds
San Jose State vs. USC Prediction
The pressure on Riley continues to grow after four seasons without a College Football Playoff appearance, but this may be his deepest roster yet. USC also brought in Gary Patterson to oversee the defense, giving the Trojans another potential path toward becoming a more complete contender instead of depending entirely on offensive fireworks.
San Jose State is starting much closer to scratch. The Spartans went 3-9 and lost their final four games last season, then entered 2026 with 48 newcomers and only three projected starters who started at least six games in 2025. Hawaii transfer Luke Weaver takes over at quarterback after completing 63 passes for 628 yards and three touchdowns last season, including a 2-0 record in his two starts.
There are at least enough new weapons around Weaver to believe San Jose State can contribute something to the scoreboard. Jerry McClure, Malachi Riley, Anthony Ivey, Jordan Anderson and Dominique McKenzie all arrived through the portal at receiver, while Jabari Bates averaged 7.1 yards per carry in an injury-shortened 2025 season. That collection does not have to threaten USC for four quarters. Getting into the mid-teens could be enough.
History certainly suggests USC can handle the rest. The Trojans are 6-0 all-time against San Jose State and won the most recent meeting 56-28 in the 2023 opener. USC also scored 73 and 59 points in its first two games last year, showing how willing Riley is to let his offense run even against overmatched September opponents.
San Jose State vs. USC Poly Pick
- Pick: Over 61.5 Total Points (-110) Check out these best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
The concern is whether San Jose State can contribute enough against Patterson's rebuilt defense, but USC is capable of threatening 50 by itself. A 49-17 or 52-14 type of opener gets this across the number, and San Jose State's transfer-heavy offense should create enough explosive opportunities or late scoring to help.
More College Football Odds
Affiliate Disclosure.
We are not a gambling or betting operator, but we receive a commission from these companies when we advertise their brands and refer customers to them (affiliate marketing). We provide information, odds information and links to websites of these companies. Some of the information made available on our site may be positioned as a result of a commission paid to us by a third party. We do not take or place bets/transactions and any information on Our Products is provided for entertainment purposes only.
