It’s time for everyone at USC to raise their game — this includes the fan base
Much as USC fans themselves should not be too concerned about the Trojans after their uneven performance in a win over Arizona State, no observer of USC football should be worried about the Trojan fan base after Saturday night’s game against the Sun Devils.
Let’s be realistic about all of this: Would you upend your Saturday night to see a bad Arizona State team in a late-night game in the Los Angeles Coliseum? Probably not. The Sun Devils are not an opponent for which a hard-earned roll of 20s should flow out of your hands. We get it. It makes sense.
Much as the Trojans didn’t have to be at their very best to handle Arizona State and move forward with their season, the fan base didn’t have to show up in force to help the team win against a mediocre-to-below-average opponent.
Now, however, that changes as we move into Week 6. Let’s be clear about this:
ARIZONA STATE ATTENDANCE
Tickets sold for USC-Arizona State: 62,133, down from about 69K two weeks ago from USC-Fresno State
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) October 2, 2022
REALITY
The Rice game was played in brutal heat. Fresno State and Arizona State were late-night kickoffs. It’s completely understandable that USC hasn’t put over 70,000 in the Los Angeles Coliseum, much as it is understandable that USC hasn’t played its absolute best on both sides of the ball in any game this season. It’s fine. Everyone is doing enough to win. However, now the challenge gets bigger with Washington State coming to town. Everyone must improve, including the fans.
COLISEUM CAPACITY
The stadium’s seating capacity has been listed at 77,500, previously 78,467 after recent renovations. That should be expected against Washington State for a prime-time game at 4:40 p.m. in Los Angeles on Oct. 8.
COMPARISON
This is not a rivalry game against Washington State, but it is an important game. Can a non-rival generate a full house? As a comparison, Cal in 2006 drew 91,672. The full fan base showed up for an important game against a non-UCLA, non-Notre Dame team. That’s what we need to see against Wazzu.
PETE CARROLL AND LINCOLN RILEY
The Pete Carroll-era USC teams got the full measure of the crowd’s support. This is the time for Lincoln Riley’s USC team to receive the same.
NOTABLE WASHINGTON STATE DETAIL
Washington State is easily the toughest Pac-12 opponent on USC’s home schedule. USC’s next Pac-12 home games after the Cougars: Cal on Nov. 5, then Colorado on Nov. 11. This is the biggest Pac-12 home game of the year for USC. This is why fans need to pack the house.
REMINDER
ANOTHER THING
The only home game bigger than Washington State on the 2022 USC schedule: Notre Dame.
ONE LAST THING
The Dodgers will not be playing a home playoff game this coming weekend, so there’s no conflict on that front. 77,500 seats need to be filled. This is the time to really rally behind the Trojans.
