No. 14 USC opens its highly anticipated 2026 season on Saturday, hosting San Jose State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the first Big Ten football game of the year and the debut of NBC’s college football coverage. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET / noon PT on NBC and Peacock.
Please note that most sportsbooks aren’t offering moneyline wagering for this game due to USC being such heavy favorites.
Lincoln Riley’s Trojans return an FBS-high 15 starters and the nation’s No. 1 freshman class, headlined by redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava, who led the country with a 91.2 QBR last season while throwing for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns.
He’s got a loaded backfield behind him too, with Waymond Jordan and King Miller both back after Miller’s breakout 158-yard, one-touchdown showing in relief duty against Michigan last season.
San Jose State, under longtime head coach Ken Niumatalolo, arrives as a battle-tested Group of Five program that has made a habit of testing ranked opponents in openers, but USC holds a perfect 6-0 all-time record in the series and enters as one of the largest favorites of the entire Week 0 slate.
San Jose State vs USC Predictions From Our Supercomputer
Our AI-driven college football supercomputer has weighed USC’s returning talent, San Jose State’s defensive limitations, and the sheer scale of the talent gap to arrive at its verdict for this Week 0 opener.
Here are the three best bets it landed on for San Jose State vs USC.
- Over 61.5 Total Points
- King Miller 2+ Touchdowns
- Jayden Maiava 300+ Passing Yards
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San Jose State vs USC Prediction 1: Over 61.5 Total Points
- Over 61.5 (-108)
USC’s offense averaged 465.5 yards per game a season ago, more than 60 yards clear of what San Jose State’s defense surrendered on average, and the Trojans went a perfect 5-0 last year in games where they cleared 32.5 points.
Riley’s offense also has an FBS-leading number of returning starters to work with, giving Maiava a full stable of familiar weapons from day one.
San Jose State, for its part, still moved the ball at a respectable clip a season ago and isn’t likely to simply roll over, especially with USC almost certain to empty its bench and rotate in reserves once the outcome is decided.
Both the pace and the talent gap point toward a number well clear of 61.5.
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San Jose State vs USC Prediction 2: King Miller 2+ Touchdowns
- King Miller 2+ Touchdowns (+190)
Miller announced himself last season with a 158-yard, one-touchdown performance filling in against Michigan, and he’s back healthy and fully entrenched in a crowded but talented USC backfield alongside Waymond Jordan.
Against a San Jose State defense that allowed 403.2 total yards per game a year ago, and with USC expected to build a comfortable lead early, Miller projects to see plenty of chances in short-yardage and goal-line situations once the game shifts into clock-control mode.
Riley’s staff has shown a willingness to spread carries around, but multiple scores for Miller in a lopsided win is well within reach.
USC’s bigger-picture ambitions this season are worth tracking too, with the latest College Football Playoff National Championship odds reflecting just how highly the Trojans are regarded entering the Big Ten era.
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San Jose State vs USC Prediction 3: Jayden Maiava 300+ Passing Yards
- Jayden Maiava 300+ Passing Yards (+110)
Maiava enters his final season at USC off a breakout year in which he ranked fifth nationally with 3,711 passing yards and posted the top QBR in the country, and he does so with a deep, talented receiving corps that returns largely intact alongside a top-ranked freshman class ready to contribute.
San Jose State allowed 403.2 total yards per game a season ago, and with USC likely to lean on the air attack early to build separation before turning things over to the run game and reserves, Maiava should have every opportunity to clear 300 yards well before the outcome is in doubt.
It’s a fitting way for USC’s Heisman-caliber quarterback to open what many view as a Playoff-or-bust season.
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