USC football vs. San Jose State score prediction: Will the Trojans finally cover?

When a new season of USC football premieres on Saturday against San Jose State, will the Trojans put on a show or disappoint? Score predictions are incoming.

Are you ready for the 2021 USC football season to begin?

The Trojans better be. They'll once again face opening opposition coming off a Group of Five championship, this time San Jose State. The Spartans are no tune-up game. They'll come to the Coliseum with their eyes on an upset.

Is USC in danger? Will they get out of the first weekend of college football unscathed? Will they do one better than that and actually look impressive for once? Our score predictions tell the tale...

USC football game score prediction vs. San Jose State

Alicia de Artola: I've given USC the benefit of the doubt for too long, expecting them to change. In past years, I might have looked at this game against Mountain West champion San Jose State and thought, "you know what, USC is still way more talented and they should win this comfortable. This is the year they cover the spread. This is the year they impress us." No more.

The Trojans are who we think they are: A talented bunch of athletes with a medium head coach who will produce medium results. They'll win this one, but it won't be fun and it won't be pretty.

USC 30, San Jose State 21

Michael Castillo: San Jose State isn't a pushover. They're too experienced and were too consistently good in a chaotic 2020, as evident by their 7-0 trek through the Mountain West featuring seven double-digit wins.

Add in stout veteran-laden offensive and defensive lines, along with USC's penchant for struggling against Group of 5 opponents under Clay Helton, and you might wish it was UC Davis on the field after all.

But this is still USC and San Jose State. The talent disparity is too big to ignore, leading to an inevitable and all-too-familiar Week 1 victory. Big plays fill the highlight reel, but the Trojans' reluctance to make it easy writes the headlines.

USC 34, San Jose State 21