Paul Finebaum Names Historic College Football Program That's No Longer Great

The USC Trojans were the talk of Week 0 of the 2026 college football season. The Trojans opened with a 42-26 win over the San Jose State Spartans.

USC Has Underwhelming Attendance for the Opener

The talk wasn't about what happened on the field, but rather about the lack of fans in attendance at the game. The Trojans officially announced that 51,144 fans were in attendance, but that seemed to be a generous estimate. Several posts on social media showed how empty the stadium was.

USC fans argued that it was hot and they were playing a lesser opponent, whereas teams in the South brought up that it's expected to be hotter at their games this weekend, yet the stadiums will be fuller. Head coach Lincoln Riley responded on Tuesday, saying:

"This is USC, right? People are gonna pay attention. People are gonna have an opinion. It’s part of being a blue blood school. I don’t buy into the false narrative. I think that comes from a lot of people who don’t follow our program. Most of them have never stepped foot into The Coliseum. Reality is that during my years here, attendance has gone up every year."

Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Takes Aim at USC After Sparse Week 0 Crowd

ESPN's Paul Finebaum took a shot at the Trojans on "The Paul Finebaum Show." He said it's not that it was too hot; it's because USC is no longer relevant.

"SC had about 30,000 people at the opener, and they acted like it was no big deal," Finebaum said. "We have a great program. No, you don't. You got Lincoln Riley as your coach, and your fans have bailed on you."

USC's Attendance Debate Adds More Pressure to Lincoln Riley

The attendance debate ultimately goes beyond one kickoff against San Jose State. USC has spent years trying to reestablish itself as a national power, and Riley enters his fifth season under increasing pressure to turn the program's potential into meaningful results.

The Trojans have a much more favorable opportunity to change the conversation with Fresno State coming to the Coliseum on Friday, followed by a demanding Big Ten schedule. If USC starts winning at the level expected of a blue blood, the crowds should follow.

Until then, the empty seats give critics like Finebaum another piece of evidence that the Trojans still have work to do to restore their place among college football's elite.

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