LOS ANGELES – Luke Weaver completed 21-of-32 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with 42 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to lead San José State football (0-1, 0-0 MW) to a 42-26 season-opening loss to No. 14 USC (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
USC controlled the opening half, scoring on four of its first five possessions to take a 28-0 lead at the break. San José State’s best first-half opportunity came on a 14-play, 66-yard drive in the second quarter, but the Trojans stopped the Spartans on fourth down at the USC 9-yard line.
The Spartans broke through midway through the third quarter. A 42-yard highlight completion from Weaver to Carson Clark sparked a 69-yard drive that ended with Trajan Sinatra’s 22-yard field goal.
In the fourth quarter, Weaver connected with Jerry McClure for a 28-yard touchdown on the first play of the period, then found Kamaehu Kopa-Kaawalauole for the two-point conversion.
After USC answered to make it 42-11, the Spartans responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Weaver completed a 21-yard pass to Anthony Ivey before finding Jordan Anderson for a 3-yard touchdown with 5:11 remaining.
Naseri Danielson then intercepted USC quarterback Jonas Williams and returned the ball six yards to the Trojans’ 35. Three plays later, Weaver scored on a 7-yard run and completed another two-point conversion, this time to Cooper Hoch, to close the scoring.
McClure and Clark led the San José State receiving corps with six catches apiece. Clark finished with a team-high 74 yards, while McClure collected 68 yards and a touchdown. Jabari Bates paced the running backs with 37 yards on 11 carries.
Danielson recorded a team-high 10 tackles and the Spartans’ lone takeaway. Caleb Womack and Ethan Powell added eight tackles apiece, while Dylan Lee and John Norwood each registered a sack.
San José State finished with 336 yards of total offense, committed no turnovers and was penalized just once. The Spartans outscored the Trojans 23-7 and produced 119 yards in the fourth quarter.
- San José State scored 23 fourth-quarter points and finished with three consecutive touchdown drives and four consecutive scoring drives
- The Spartans generated 221 yards after halftime
- The Spartans went 2-for-2 on two point conversions
- Weaver’s 42 rushing yards set a new career-high, and he also notched his first career rushing touchdown
- Clark led the Spartans with 74 receiving yards in his first career collegiate game as a true freshman
- Anderson’s touchdown was the first of his career
- McClure’s touchdown was also the first of his career
- This was the first time the Spartans did not turn the ball over since the Spartans defeated Hawai’i on Nov. 1, 2025
- Dominique McKenzie recorded his first career reception on an 18-yard strike in the second quarter
- Ivey notched a career-high 34 receiving yards, and his reception of 21 yards was a career-long
- The Spartans had six players with six or more tackles
- Danielson’s 10 tackles set a new career-high
- Danielson’s interception was also the first of his career
- Lee’s seven tackles also set a new career-high, and he recorded the first sack of his career
- Norwood’s sack was the second of his career
- Powell tied his career-high with eight tackles and also tallied a tackle-for-loss
- Womack also set a career-high with eight tackles
- Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa had six tackles in his first-ever game as a safety
- Sinatra was perfect on the day, making a 22-yard field goal and knocking through his lone PAT attempt
- The Spartans limited USC to just one sack for a loss of one yard
- The Spartans have racked up 100 yards rushing in back-to-back games against USC, with 102 today and 198 in 2023
UP NEXT: The Spartans will face Eastern Michigan on Friday, Sept. 4, from Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Mich., at 3:30 p.m. PT. Watch the game on ESPN+ and listen on the SJSU Spartans Sports Media Network.
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