The USC Trojans won their season opener against the San Jose State Spartans 42-26, but despite the victory, the sparse crowd and empty seats at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum became a massive talking point.
Then things got heated when the Texas Tech head coach, Joey McGuire, took a shot at the USC Trojans over their sparse home-opening crowd. McGuire’s remark did not sit well with USC legend Keyshawn Johnson.
Keyshawn Johnson Calls Out Joey McGuire For Criticizing Trojans’ Home Crowd
On X, Johnson posted a video defending the USC faithful while questioning whether fans should endure Los Angeles heat for a difficult matchup.
“Everybody is killing us about our fans’ attendance,” Johnson said. “It was only 57,000 people. Well, that’s true. When you want to sit around in 100+ degrees in the city of Los Angeles to watch a team get beat down that you know is going to get beat down? Why would you want to treat yourself that way?”
Johnson then turned his attention directly toward McGuire and the Texas Tech program.
“And to those coaches and other programs, like Coach McGuire at Texas Tech, talking about it’s going to always be crowded at Texas Tech. Yeah, that’s true. Because y’all ain’t got [expletive] else to do.”
The Trojans announced 51,144 fans attended Saturday’s win over San Jose State at the Coliseum, which seats 77,500.
ESPN described that figure as “a generous estimate,” while the official box score listed 94 degrees at kickoff. Moreover, the Los Angeles Times reported that the heat index reached roughly 110 degrees.
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“Just look at the numbers,” Johnson added. “Look what I did to y’all. And I did it in Texas, so next time you start talking crazy, check your facts. It’s a lot to do in Los Angeles, man; it’s a lot to do, and it ain’t sitting in the Coliseum to watch a beatdown.”
McGuire made the comparison while discussing Texas Tech’s packed Lubbock crowds ahead of its upcoming game.
“Not to take any shots, because I have a lot of respect for USC and Lincoln Riley, but it’s really awesome to be playing in Lubbock, Texas, knowing we’re going to be playing in front of 60,000,” McGuire said.
McGuire later doubled down while discussing the expected conditions in Lubbock.
“It’s going to be warm. It’s going to be every bit as warm as it was Saturday… There’s not going to be any excuse for why they’re not going to be here for us.”
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USC also acknowledged that Saturday’s turnout fell short of its expectations and admitted it wants to see stronger crowds moving forward.
The school addressed the issue Monday, saying, “We understand the factors that impacted Saturday’s attendance.” The Trojans emphasized the importance of their home support and expect fans to respond throughout the season.
“We have high expectations and a premier home schedule this season, and we know the competitive advantage an electric Coliseum atmosphere can provide our program. We thank our fans who showed up Saturday and look forward to seeing increased attendance the rest of the season.”
The Trojans have a quick chance to change the narrative when they host Fresno State on Friday night, followed by Louisiana, and then marquee home games against Oregon, Washington, and Ohio State later in the calendar.
