USC legend Matt Leinart is calling on Trojans fans to fill the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, addressing concerns about attendance following the season opener. While acknowledging the visual impact of less-than-capacity crowds, Leinart, a Heisman Trophy winner from USC's dominant era, urged supporters not to draw sweeping conclusions from a single game.
The Trojans defeated San Jose State 42-26 on August 29, 2026, in front of an announced crowd of 51,144 at the 77,500-seat stadium. Videos circulating on social media highlighted numerous empty seats, sparking debate online.
"I don’t really buy into the narrative or the big picture of it all," Leinart told the California Post in a recent interview. "It is the first game."
However, he admitted the optics were not ideal. "As a proud alum — obviously, I love football and I love USC — when you’re sitting there, naturally it’s a bummer that it’s not packed and [fans] aren’t rooting these kids on. I get that."
Leinart pushed back against the idea that sparse attendance signals a broader issue for USC football under head coach Lincoln Riley. "I understand that people take the narrative and then they start trashing USC and all that," he said. "At the end of the day, that locker room and that coaching staff, that’s really all that matters. They’ve just got to go out there and win games and everything else takes care of itself."
Riley himself has called the attendance narrative a "false narrative," pointing to an increase in average attendance during his tenure. USC averaged 71,571 per game in 2024 and 67,782 in 2025, representing approximately 93% capacity and ranking among the higher attendance figures in the FBS.
Leinart understands the unique demands of Los Angeles as a sports market, contrasting it with cities where college football is the sole major attraction. He noted that successful teams, like the World Series champion Dodgers, draw large crowds, implying that consistent winning is key for USC.
"The Coliseum is a great place to play football, man. It’s really special," Leinart said.
With USC hosting Fresno State on Friday night, attendance figures will once again be under scrutiny. Leinart encouraged fans to attend upcoming games, particularly against high-profile opponents like Oregon and Ohio State.
"I would just encourage fans to come out, show your support," he said. "It’s a great home schedule. Oregon, Ohio State — you’ve got some big-time teams coming in and that team is going to need all the help they can get from fans and the energy and the passion."
Ultimately, Leinart believes winning is the solution to USC's attendance challenges. "At the end of the day, USC is 1-0," he said. "They get Fresno State this weekend. You’ve just got to keep stacking chips. You’ve got to win the games you’re supposed to, and then you’ve got to go out there against teams like Oregon and Ohio State and prove that you belong in that conversation."