San Jose State opens the 2026 season at USC on Saturday afternoon, and the spread tells you most of what the market thinks. The Trojans are laying 39 points at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and that number has climbed since the game first went on the board in late May. USC returns one of the most experienced rosters in the country. San Jose State arrives off a three-win season with a new starter under center. Below is the current spread, the total, the movement behind both, and which side the public is stacked on.
Last Updated: Saturday, August 29, 2026
San Jose State vs. USC — Time & How to Watch
| Where | United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles CA |
| When | Saturday, August 29 – 3:00 PM ET |
| TV | NBC |
San Jose State vs. USC Matchup Overview
USC enters ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press preseason poll after going 9-4 last season, 7-2 in Big Ten play. The Trojans closed 2025 with an overtime loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl. Lincoln Riley is in his fifth season in Los Angeles and is 9-0 in season openers.
The roster continuity is the headline. USC returns 15 starters, tied for the most in the FBS. Redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2025 while leading the country with a 91.2 QBR. Running back King Miller rushed for 972 yards. On defense, Riley brought in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as coordinator. One notable absence: defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart is out with a stress fracture in his right foot and is expected to miss the non-conference slate.
San Jose State is a very different proposition. The Spartans went 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the Mountain West last season, and all three wins came at home by single digits. Ken Niumatalolo is in year three, and the roster turned over hard. Receiver Danny Scudero, who led the nation in receiving yardage in 2025, transferred to Colorado. Running back Steve Chavez-Soto left for Utah. Hawaii transfer Luke Weaver won a close camp battle to take the first snap at quarterback, with Jabari Bates stepping in as the new lead back.
The series is one-sided. USC leads 6-0 all-time, every meeting at the Coliseum. The most recent was the 2023 opener, a 56-28 Trojans win.
San Jose State vs. USC Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose State | +39 (-110) | O 61.5 (-115) | |
| USC | -39 (-110) | U 61.5 (-105) |
Odds accurate as of Saturday, August 29, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NCAAF Odds – Futures – Props
San Jose State vs. USC — Who Is the Public Betting?
| San Jose State | 92% | 8% | USC |
See the latest College Football Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
NCAAF Betting Angle for San Jose State vs. USC
Start with the line movement. This game opened at USC -35.5 in late May and now sits at -39, a three-and-a-half-point move toward the favorite. The total went the same direction, from 57.5 to 61.5. Both numbers drifted as San Jose State’s roster losses became clear.
Meanwhile, the public is going the other way. Spread tickets are running 92 percent on San Jose State and 8 percent on USC. That is about as lopsided as a split gets, and it is a familiar pattern on enormous numbers. Casual bettors see a 39-point spread and assume it is too large on principle. The line still moved toward USC, which suggests the tickets and the money are not lining up.
The case for San Jose State plus the points is simple. Huge spreads require a favorite to keep its foot down for four quarters, and few teams do. USC has no reason to expose starters late in a game it leads comfortably. Backups play, the offense simplifies, and the clock keeps running.
The case for USC is the talent gap and the spot. This is a home opener in a national television window, with 15 returning starters and the most efficient passer in the country. San Jose State lost its top receiver and its lead back, and starts a quarterback with two career FBS starts. Score on the first four or five possessions and the cushion is built before the reserves appear. The counterweight cuts both ways, though: nobody knows how any team looks in week one.
USC Returning Production Against a Reset San Jose State Roster
The cleanest way to frame this spread is continuity versus reset. USC brings back nearly its entire starting lineup from a nine-win team, and the pieces that drive scoring are still in place. Patterson’s arrival changes the defensive scheme, but that matters less against an opponent still sorting out its own personnel.
San Jose State’s situation runs the other direction. Losing the national leader in receiving yardage is a substantial hit for any offense, and replacing him alongside a new starting quarterback and a new lead back means the Spartans are installing three new relationships at once. Weaver has real credentials from his junior college run and threw for over 200 yards in each of his two starts at Hawaii, but two starts is a small sample against a Big Ten front.
Where San Jose State can make this competitive is on the ground and on the clock. Niumatalolo built his reputation at Navy on offenses that shortened games. If the Spartans stay on schedule and avoid the early turnover that turns a 39-point spread into a 50-point afternoon, the number stays live. If they cannot, USC’s depth does the rest. For another opener on the same slate, see our preview of the TCU opener in Dublin, and for the season-long market, our breakdown of 2026 Heisman Trophy odds.
NCAAF San Jose State vs. USC FAQ: Saturday August 29, 2026
What time does the San Jose State vs. USC game start?
Kickoff is set for 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, August 29, 2026, which is noon local time in Los Angeles. The pregame show begins at 2:30 PM ET. This is the opening game of the Big Ten football season.
What channel is the San Jose State vs. USC game on?
The game airs nationally on NBC. Noah Eagle handles play-by-play with Todd Blackledge as analyst and Kathryn Tappen reporting from the sideline. It is the first time a San Jose State football game has been carried on NBC in program history.
Where are San Jose State and USC playing?
The game is at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. That is USC’s home stadium, and every previous meeting in this series has been played there as well. San Jose State is the visiting team.
How can I stream the San Jose State vs. USC game?
Peacock carries the live stream, since the broadcast is on NBC. The game is also available through the NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com with a participating TV provider login. Live TV streaming services carrying NBC will have it as well.
Who is starting at quarterback for San Jose State and USC?
Luke Weaver starts for San Jose State and Jayden Maiava starts for USC. Weaver transferred in from Hawaii and won a camp battle over Robert McDaniel and Daniel Rolovich. Maiava, a redshirt senior, threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns last season while leading the nation in QBR.