USC coach Riley dismisses criticism over low season-opener crowd
USC head coach Lincoln Riley said the narrative that the Trojans drew a small crowd for their season-opening game was false, noting that attendance has risen each year of his tenure despite the modest turnout. The Trojans beat San Jose State 35-3 in the home opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the stadium was sparsely populated, a fact highlighted by Fox News. The New York Post linked the low turnout to record-high temperatures and a weak opponent.
USC officials later said they understood the factors behind the sparse crowd and expected larger audiences in later games, as reported by USA Today and NBC Sports. Sports commentator Paul Finebaum questioned whether the university’s press release on the attendance was generated by artificial intelligence, according to Awful Announcing.
