Texas Tech's Joey McGuire takes shot at USC crowd

Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire began his response to reporters on Monday, August 31, by expressing respect for Southern California coach Lincoln Riley, before seemingly targeting the Trojans' fanbase for the sparse attendance at USC's Week 0 victory over San Jose State. The No. 14 Trojans defeated the lower-tier Mountain West opponent 42-26 on Saturday, August 29, in front of an almost-empty crowd at Los Angeles Memorial Stadium, owing to unusual humidity and minimal interest in the Week 0 game.

In a subsequent statement, McGuire said that Texas Tech's upcoming game against Abilene Christian on September 5 in Lubbock, Texas, will be played in front of a much larger crowd of 60,000 fans. He emphasized that the West Texas community is known for their love of football and will come out regardless of the weather conditions.

USC, which grew up in Muleshoe, Texas, played for the Red Raiders and served as an assistant coach there from 2003-2009, is expecting a boost in attendance for the upcoming season, thanks to a premier home schedule and the electric atmosphere the Coliseum provides. The university thanked the fans who attended Saturday's game and expressed optimism for increased attendance in the future.