USC Football Game Day Updates: September 18, 2025
September 18, 2025 | Football
Ahead of USC Football's Big Ten home opener against Michigan State on Saturday night in the Coliseum, USC Athletics has analyzed tens of thousands of data points from its first two home contests to assess and improve its game day experience.
This effort – part of USC Athletics' Trojan MAP to win the era, with a focus on prioritizing partnerships and building alignment within the Trojan Family – comes after more than 1,600 survey responses following the Trojans' wins over Missouri State and Georgia Southern.
The department will continue to survey fans after each home game, implementing immediate adjustments where possible and developing long-term solutions for future improvements in order to better engage fans.Â
Here is a summary of the findings and adjustments through two home games:
Starting Fast
Across both games, the vast majority of fans – nearly nine in ten – reported clearing security and entering the Coliseum in 15 minutes or less.
That efficiency earned high marks from both students and long-time season-ticket holders and sets a strong foundation as USC Athletics continues to encourage fans to arrive early to avoid the heaviest pre-kickoff rush. It can also be improved, and athletics and game-day staff will continue to identify opportunities for safe and expeditious ingress.
Big Ten SpecialÂ
In response to fan feedback requesting more affordable concession options, fans can take advantage of the Big Ten Special for Saturday night's conference home opener. From 6:30–7:30 p.m. – the first 60 minutes the gates are open – fans can purchase a hot dog and a drink for just $10 (imported beers excluded).
This offer is designed not only to provide better value at the concession stands, but also to encourage Trojan fans to join the team in starting fast. By arriving early and taking advantage of the Big Ten Special, fans can help create a difference-making atmosphere from the opening kickoff, turning the Coliseum into a true Big Ten home-field advantage.
The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe, Ever!
The Trojan Marching Band remains the heart of the game-day experience. Fans across surveys from both contests value the Spirit of Troy's contribution as one of the most enjoyable aspects of game day.
Across both games, roughly eight out of every ten respondents rated the band's contribution 8 or higher on a 10-point scale, and about three-quarters said the frequency of performances was "just right."
These figures were consistent among both students and season-ticket holders, showing the Spirit of Troy transcends generations.
Student Section
Student feedback through two games has been overwhelmingly positive, with a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 75 – an exceptionally high score (on a scale of –100 to 100) indicating high student satisfaction. Of student respondents, 91% rated their experience "Satisfied" or "Very Satisfied," with over 80% saying the day met or exceeded expectations.
Students are particularly positive about the mix of band and DJ music. Nearly half of student respondents rated the DJ in the top three boxes (8–10), and a strong majority (nearly 70%) thought the balance between the band and DJ was "perfect." This is higher than the season-ticket holder ratings, and fans can expect adjustments in the diversity and timing of song selections in future games.
One area for student-section improvement is ingress, as a small but significant number (around 10 percent) of students reported entry times of 15 minutes or longer. Survey data reveal that 54% of student respondents arrived less than 30 minutes before kickoff or later, and USC Athletics encourages students to arrive early on Saturday to both ensure quick and safe entry and to energize the Coliseum ahead of the Big Ten home opener.
Strong Fan Response
Through two weeks, USC Athletics has received more than 1,600 responses from students and season ticket holders, providing over 30,000 quantitative data points for analysis as well as ample qualitative feedback to open-ended questions.
The early response rate is both appreciated and encouraging, and it provides a clear and reliable picture of game-day strengths and opportunities, but additional feedback will only clarify areas for improvement and improve USC Athletics' ability to shape its efforts to make the Coliseum the best home-field experience in college football. Simply put, more feedback means more robust data to make better decisions.Â
Fans are encouraged to continue responding to surveys, and USC will enhance promotion and incentives to increase response rates.
