USC has an uncanny ability to create problems for itself. With so few games played on Saturday, a lot of attention focused on the USC game, which turned out to be another black eye for an athletic dept. that cannot stay out of its way.

The sparse crowd at the San Jose State game continued to go viral on Sunday with even the Athletic wading into the situation.

It’s led to fans all over the country criticizing USC after the terrible optics of a pretty empty Coliseum for the season-opener.

Personally, I think anyone who went to the game in these conditions was crazy. But that doesn’t absolve USC of creating an own goal.

It rashly refused to play Notre Dame in November, which created an opening in the schedule. Jen Cohen said USC would play at least one Power 4 team in the nonconference but instead scheduled San Jose State.

Even worse, USC wanted the game in Week 0 and then agreed to an insane 12 p.m. kickoff for NBC. Was anyone thinking when this agreement was made? They sure weren’t thinking about the fans.

In the midst of a heatwave, did USC arrange for temporary shade or hydration stations inside the stadium (not outside)?

• Critics also pointed out USC drew 84,325 for the San Jose State game in 2009. But that was a different era, most notably because Pete Carroll was the coach.

For the past five years, I have repeatedly pointed out Lincoln Riley refuses to meet with fans. Pete Carrol was opposite. He met with anyone.

Why does it matter? Because Riley has no base of support with the USC fans. If the Trojans are not great, then the fans don’t have much reason to be invested in the program. Riley never gives them one.