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USC Trojans vs. Texas A&M Aggies Draws Disappointing Crowd For Las Vegas Bowl

Fans are sparse for the USC Trojans facing the Texas A&M Aggies on Friday, Dec. 27 in the Las Vegas Bowl. At Allegiant Stadium, fans were sparse for the matchup between Lincoln Riley's Trojans and Mike Elko's Aggies.

Bri Amaranthus

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans song girls cheerleaders perform at a tailgate pep rally during the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans song girls cheerleaders perform at a tailgate pep rally during the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The USC Trojans (6-6) are facing the Texas A&M Aggies (8-4) on Friday, Dec. 27 in the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium to close out the 2024 season. Fans were sparse at kick off for the matchup between two teams who are finishing disappointing seasons.

USC's season ends at the same place it began, in Allegiant Stadium vs. an SEC team. USC defeated the LSU Tigers 27-20 on Sep. 1. In the above photo, the stark contrast of attendance is evident.

Ahead of the game against USC, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko spoke highly of the matchup and bowl game.

"I think when you get a bowl game, I think location and venue matters," Elko said. "Obviously, going to Las Vegas, playing in the Raiders Stadium, that's a cool venue. It's a great opportunity in that regard. Matchup matters. Playing a brand in the Big Ten, USC and certainly with our recruiting on the West Coast and how we've crossed paths with those guys. I think it's a really cool opportunity. It's really a cool game, so we're excited to go out there and play."

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Jayden Maiava
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Both USC and Texas A&M would benefit from finishing the season on a positive note after massive departures in the transfer portal.

USC has had 19 players enter the transfer portal, including receivers Duce Robinson, Zachariah Branch and Kyron Hudson, running back Quinten Joyner, offensive tackle Mason Murphy and defensive end Sam Greene. The Trojans will also be without running back Woody Marks, center Jonah Monheim and cornerback Jaylin Smith, all three have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft and opted out of Friday’s contest. 

The Aggies have had 20 players enter the transfer portal.

Texas A&M jumped out to a 7-1 start and were ranked as high as No. 10 in early November. The Aggies looked primed to make a run for the SEC Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff, but dropped three of its final four games. 

The Trojans finished 6-6 but at one point in the season, USC was ranked No.11 in the country. 

Quarterback Jayden Maiava is making his fourth start for USC after coach Lincoln Riley benched Miller Moss. Maiava has led USC to a 2-1 record, helping USC become bowl eligible after a 4-5 start. The UNLV transfer has thrown for 906 yards, seven touchdowns versus three interceptions, he’s also added four touchdowns on the ground. 

Through his first three starts (weeks 12-14), Maiava has recorded a 77.3 grade per PFF to rank No. 18 among all Power 4 quarterbacks with a minimum of 50 passing attempts.

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Bri Amaranthus
BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism

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