| USC Trojans | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Current season: 2024 USC Trojans
| |||
| |||
| First season | 1888 | ||
| Athletic director | Jennifer Cohen | ||
| Head coach | Lincoln Riley | ||
| 2nd year, 19–8 (.704) | |||
| Home stadium | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | ||
| Stadium capacity | 77,500 | ||
| Stadium surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, California | ||
| Conference | Big Ten | ||
| Division | South | ||
| All-time history | |||
| All-time record | 875–368–54 (.695) | ||
| Postseason bowl record | 35–20 (.636) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 11 | ||
| Conference titles | 37 | ||
| Heisman winners | 7 * | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | Template:American college football All-Americans | ||
| Current uniform | |||
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| Colors | Cardinal and Gold
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| Fight song | Fight On | ||
| Marching band | The Spirit of Troy | ||
| Rivals | Notre Dame UCLA Stanford California | ||
| Website | USCTrojans.com | ||
The USC Trojans football program, established in 1888, is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1-A and the Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12) under current head coach Lincoln Riley. The Trojans have been a football powerhouse throughout NCAA history, making claim to 11 national championships in total.[1] In recent years, USC has consistently ranked in the top 5 of the final BCS and AP Polls. The football team is regarded as the centerpiece of an athletic program that has won more NCAA men's individual and men's team titles than any other university and is third in co-ed team titles, behind fellow Pac-12 schools Stanford and UCLA.
History
The first USC football squad (1888). Before they were nicknamed the "Trojans", they were known as the USC Methodists.
1888-1910s
USC first fielded a football team in 1888, playing its first game on November 14 of that year against the Alliance Athletic Club, gaining a 16-0 victory. Frank Suffel and Henry H. Goddard were playing coaches for the first team which was put together by quarterback Arthur Carroll; who in turn volunteered to make the pants for the team and later became a tailor.[2] USC faced its first collegiate opponent the following year in fall 1889, playing St. Vincent’s College to a 40-0 victory.[2]
Before they were named Trojans in 1912, USC athletic teams were called the Methodists, as well as the Wesleyans. During the early years, limitations in travel and the scarcity of major football-playing colleges on the West Coast limited its rivalries to local Southern Californian colleges and universities. During this period USC played regular series against Occidental, CalTech, Whittier, Pomona and Loyola. The first USC team to play outside of Southern California went to Stanford University on November 4, 1905, where they were trampled 16-0 by the traditional West Coast powerhouse. While the teams would not meet again until 1918 (Stanford dropped football for rugby union during the intervening years), this was also USC's first game against a future Pac-12 conference opponent and the beginning of its oldest rivalry. During this period USC also played its first games against other future Pac-12 rivals, including Oregon State (1914), California (1915), Oregon (1915) and Arizona (1916).
Between 1911-1913, USC followed the example of California and Stanford and dropped football in favor of rugby union. The results were disastrous, as USC was roundly defeated by more experienced programs while the school itself experienced financial reverses; however, it was during this period that Owen R. Bird, a sportswriter for the Los Angeles Times, coined the nickname "Trojans" which we wrote was "owing to the terrific handicaps under which the athletes, coaches and managers of the university were laboring and against the overwhelming odds of larger and better equipped rivals, the name 'Trojan' suitably fitted the players."[2]
1920s-1930s
USC Athletic Department logo
After several decades of competition, USC first achieved national prominence under head coach "Gloomy" Gus Henderson in the early 1920s. Success continued under coach Howard Jones from 1925 to 1940, when the Trojans were just one of a few nationally dominant teams. It was during this era that the team achieved renown as the "Thundering Herd", earning its first four national titles.
1940s-1950s
USC achieved intermittent success in the years following Jones' tenure. Jeff Cravath, who coached from 1942-1950, won the Rose Bowl in 1943 and 1945. Jess Hill, who coached from 1951 to 1956, won the Rose Bowl in 1953.
1960s-1970s
Mike Garrett's Retired Jersey
The program entered a new golden age upon the arrival of head coach John McKay (1960-1975). During this period the Trojans produced 2 Heisman Trophies and won 4 national championships. McKay's influence continued even after he departed for the NFL when an assistant coach, John Robinson (1976-1982), took over as head coach. Under Robinson USC won an additional national championship in 1978 and two players garnered 2 Heisman Trophy honors.
On September 12, 1970, USC opened the season visiting the University of Alabama under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and became the first fully integrated team to play in the state of Alabama.[3] The game, scheduled by Bryant, resulted in a domineering 42-21 win by the Trojans. More importantly, all six touchdowns scored by USC team were by African-American players, two by USC running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham, against an all-white Crimson Tide team.[4] The game hastened the racial integration of football at Alabama and in the South.[5][3]
1980s-1990s
In the 1980s, USC football did not realize a national championship, though it continued to experience relative success, with top-20 AP rankings and PAC-10 Conference Championships. Under head coaches Ted Tollner (1983-1986) and Larry Smith (1987-1992), each winning the Rose Bowl once, USC was recognized among the nation's top-ten teams three times. However, some alumni had grown accustomed to the programs' stature as a perennial national championship contender. In 1993, Robinson was named head coach a second time, leading the Trojans to a victory in the 1996 Rose Bowl over Northwestern.
However, losing streaks of 11 years (1983-1993) to intersectional rival Notre Dame and 8 years (1991-1998) to crosstown rival UCLA were unacceptable to some USC supporters. In 1998, head coach Paul Hackett took over the team, but posted an even more disappointing 19-18 record in three seasons. By 2000, some observers surmised that USC football's days of national dominance were fading; the football team's record of 37-35 from 1996 to 2001 was their second-worst over any five-year span in history (only the mark of 29-29-2 from 1956-1961 was worse), and the period marked the first and only time USC had been out of the final top 20 teams for four straight years.
2000s-2010s
The Coliseum during a 2006 USC game
In 2001, athletic director Mike Garrett (the 1965 Heisman winner) released Hackett and hired Pete Carroll, a former NFL head coach. Carroll went 6-6 in his first year, losing to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, 10-6.
USC opened 3-2 in 2002, suffering losses to Kansas State and Washington State. However, the Trojans went on to win the rest of their games, completing the regular season 11-2 on the strength of senior quarterback Carson Palmer's breakout performance. After struggling for most of his collegiate career, Palmer excelled in the West Coast offense installed by new offensive coordinator Norm Chow. In fact, Palmer's performance, particularly in the season-ending rivalry games against Notre Dame and UCLA, impressed so many pundits that he went on to win the Heisman Trophy, carrying every region of voting and becoming the first USC quarterback to be so honored. Despite tying for the Pacific-10 Conference title (with Washington State), having the highest BCS "strength of schedule" rating, and fielding the nation's top defense led by safety Troy Polamalu, USC finished the season ranked No. 5 in the BCS rankings. Facing off against BCS No. 3 Iowa in the Orange Bowl, USC defeated the Hawkeyes 38-17.
In 2003, highly touted but unproven redshirt sophomore Matt Leinart took over for Palmer at quarterback. Although his first pass went for a touchdown in a win over Auburn, the Trojans suffered an early season triple-overtime loss to conference rival California in Berkeley. Nevertheless, Carroll guided the team to wins in their remaining games and they completed the regular season 11-1. Before the postseason, both the coaches' poll and the AP Poll ranked USC number #1, but the BCS - which also gave consideration to computer rankings - ranked Oklahoma first, another one-loss team but one that had lost its own Big 12 Conference title game 35-7, with USC ranked third.
In the 2003 BCS National Championship Game, the Sugar Bowl , BCS #2 LSU defeated BCS #1 Oklahoma 21-14. Meanwhile, BCS #3 USC defeated BCS #4 Michigan 28-14 in the Rose Bowl. USC finished the season ranked #1 in the AP poll and was awarded the AP National Championship; LSU, however, won the BCS National Championship title for that year, prompting a split national title between LSU and USC. In the wake of the controversy, corporate sponsors emerged who were willing to organize an LSU-USC game to settle the matter; nevertheless, the NCAA refused to permit the matchup.
Carson Palmer's Heisman
In 2004, USC was picked #1 in the preseason by the Associated Press, thanks to the return of Leinart as well as sophomore running backs LenDale White and Reggie Bush. The defense—led by All-American defensive tackles Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson, as well as All-American linebackers Lofa Tatupu and Matt Grootegoed—was considered to be among the finest in the nation. Key questions included the offensive line, with few returning starters, and the receiving corps, which had lost last year's senior Keary Colbert and the breakout star of 2003, Mike Williams. Williams had tried to enter the NFL draft a year early during the Maurice Clarett trial, only to be rebuffed by the NFL and subsequently denied eligibility by the NCAA.
Despite close calls against Stanford and California, the Trojans finished the season undefeated and headed for the 2004 BCS Championship at the Orange Bowl. USC was the second team in NCAA football history to have gone wire-to-wire (ranked first place from preseason to postseason since the AP began releasing preseason rankings); the first was Florida State in 1999 (three other schools went wire-to-wire before the existence of preseason polls - Notre Dame in 1943, Army in 1945 and USC in 1972). Quarterback Leinart won the Heisman Trophy, with running back Bush placing fifth in the vote tally. The Trojans' opponent in the Orange Bowl, Oklahoma, were themselves undefeated and captained by sixth-year quarterback Jason White, who had won the Heisman in 2003; the game marked the first time in NCAA history that two players who had already won the Heisman played against each other. Most analysts expected the game to be close—as USC matched its speed and defense against the Oklahoma running game and skilled offensive line—but the reality proved to be far different. USC scored 38 points by halftime, and won by the score of 55-19. USC won the BCS and AP national championships, despite both Auburn and Utah finishing their seasons and post-seasons undefeated.
Matt Leinart's Heisman Trophy
The 2005 regular season witnessed a resuscitation of the Notre Dame/USC rivalry on a last second play where Senior Quarterback Matt Leinart scored the winning touchdown with help from a controversial push from behind by running back Reggie Bush, nicknamed the "Bush Push". The year climaxed with USC defeating cross-town rival UCLA 66-19 and running back Reggie Bush finishing his stellar year by winning the Heisman Trophy. Matt Leinart finished third in the Heisman voting. Several other players also earned accolades, being named All-Americans (AP, Football Coaches, Football Writers, Walter Camp, ESPN.com, SI.com, CBS Sportsline.com, Rivals.com, Collegefootballnews.com). These include QB Matt Leinart, RB Reggie Bush, RB LenDale White, S Darnell Bing, OT Taitusi Lutui, OT Sam Baker, WR Dwayne Jarrett, C Ryan Kalil, OG Fred Matua, and DE Lawrence Jackson. Additionally, OL Winston Justice did well enough to forgo his senior year and go professional. However, USC's hopes for another national championship were dashed by the Texas Longhorns, in a dramatic 41-38 loss at the 2006 Rose Bowl.
For the 2006 football season, USC was forced to attempt to rebuild following the loss of offensive stalwarts Leinart, Bush, and White, defensive leader Bing, and offensive linemen Matua, Justice, and Lutui. The Trojans developed their offense using unproven QB John David Booty and returning star receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith along with second-year WR Patrick Turner. Mark Sanchez, the highly-touted recruit from the class of 2005 (Mission Viejo High School, CA) was widely viewed as a dark horse to win the starting job from Booty, although Booty was named the starter at the end of fall training camp. The starting tailback position was initially a battle between returning players Chauncey Washington and Desmond Reed (both recovering from injuries) and heralded RB recruits Stafon Johnson (Dorsey High School in Los Angeles), C.J. Gable, Allen Bradford and Emmanuel Moody (Coppell High School in Coppell, Texas).
USC had many experienced players as well, including linebacker Dallas Sartz and wide receiver Chris McFoy, who have already graduated with their bachelors degrees and are pursuing Masters degrees to be eligible for one last year of college football. Fullback Brandon Hancock would have been part of that group as well until an injury ended his collegiate career. Additionally, fifth year (redshirt) senior linebacker Oscar Lua, running back Ryan Powdrell and offensive lineman Kyle Williams were expected to either start or play frequently in 2006.
The 2006 Trojans came out strong, easily defending their top-10 status throughout the year. However, USC began to display marked inconsistencies, as their margins of victory began to slip. The first setback proved to be a 31-33 loss to unranked Oregon State, in which the Beavers were able to repeatedly capitalize on several Trojan turnovers. Surprisingly, though USC dropped initially in the polls, they worked their way back up to the No. 3 spot by the final week of the season. After defeating both Notre Dame and Cal, the Trojans were considered to be a virtual lock for the National Championship Game against Ohio State. However, USC was shocked in the final game of the season, losing to crosstown rival UCLA 13-9. This eliminated the Trojans from championship contention and opened the door for Florida to become Ohio State's opponent.
During Pete Carroll's six years as head coach, USC has lost only one game by more than seven points, that being a 27-16 loss at Notre Dame in his first season. The 21st century has also seen the rise of USC football's popularity in the Los Angeles market: without any stadium expansions, USC has broken its average home attendance record four times in a row: reaching 77,804 in 2003, 85,229 in 2004, 90,812 in 2005 and over 91,416 with one game to go in 2006 (the capacity of the Coliseum is 92,000).
On January 6, 2007, 6 days after the 2007 Rose Bowl, USC kicker Mario Danelo was found dead at the bottom of the White Point Cliff near Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro, California.
In July 2007, ESPN.com named USC it's #1 team of the decade for the period between 1996 and 2006, citing the Trojans' renaissance and dominance under Coach Carroll.[6][7]
The 2007 Trojans were the presumptive #1 pick before the season.[8][9] However they lost two games, including a major upset to 41-point underdog Stanford, and they did not get into the National Championship game. However, the Trojans did win their sixth conference championship and defeated Illinois in the Rose Bowl Game on New Year's Day 2008.
Under Carroll, USC has been known to attract numerous celebrities to its practices, including USC alumni Will Ferrell, George Lucas, LeVar Burton and Sophia Bush as well as Snoop Dogg, Henry Winkler, Kirsten Dunst, Nick Lachey, Dr. Dre, Spike Lee, Alyssa Milano, Flea, Wilmer Valderrama, Jake Gyllenhaal and Andre 3000.[10] The Trojans have also benefited from LA's lack of NFL teams (with the LA Rams and Raiders having left in 1995), combined with the Trojans 21st century success, leading them to sometimes be called LA's "de facto NFL team."[11]
As of 2007, USC is one of only five of the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams to have never played a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team since the division was made in 1978.[12]
2008
After beating Penn State in the Rose Bowl, USC finished the season 12–1, and ranked No. 2 in the Coaches' Poll and No. 3 in the AP Poll. The 2008 season culminated in USC's seventh straight Pac-10 Championship, seventh straight BCS bowl appearance and seventh straight finish in the top 4 of the AP Poll. This also marked seven consecutive seasons where USC has not lost a game by more than 7 points. Their only loss was on the road against Oregon State, which was mentioned in the preseason as a possible upset.
2009
After beating Boston College in the Emerald Bowl, USC finished the season 9–4, and ranked No. 20 in the Coaches' Poll and No. 22 in the AP Poll. USC ended its seven-year streak of Pac-10 Championship, BCS bowl appearance and top 4 finish of the AP Poll. The Trojans started the season strong beating No. 8 Ohio State at The Horseshoe. But they would lose to four Pac-10 teams (Washington, Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona). Blowout losses to Oregon 47–20 and Stanford 55–21 marked a turning point in USC's season and sparked debate in the media about the future dominance of USC football. After the season concluded, head coach Pete Carroll resigned to accept a head coaching position with the Seattle Seahawks.
In 2009, USC was named "Team of the Decade" by both CBSSports.com and Football.com, as well as the "Program of the Decade" by SI.com, plus was No. 1 in CollegeFootballNews.com's "5-Year Program Rankings" and was ranked No. 2 in ESPN.com's "Prestige Rankings" among all schools since 1936 (behind Oklahoma). Additionally, in 2009, ESPN.com ranked USC the second-best program in college football history.
2010
On January 12, 2010, Lane Kiffin was hired as the head coach. This came following Pete Carroll's departure from USC to become the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
In June 2010, after a prolonged four-year investigation into whether former USC running back Reggie Bush and his family had accepted financial benefits and housing from two sports agents in San Diego while he was a student athlete at USC, the NCAA imposed sanctions against the Trojan football program for a "lack of institutional control," including a two-year postseason ban, the loss of 30 scholarships over three years, and the vacation of all wins in which Bush participated as an "ineligible" player, including the 2005 Orange Bowl, in which the Trojans won the BCS National Championship. These sanctions have been criticized by many NCAA football writers, including ESPN's Ted Miller, who wrote, "It's become an accepted fact among informed college football observers that the NCAA sanctions against USC were a travesty of justice, and the NCAA's refusal to revisit that travesty are a massive act of cowardice on the part of the organization."
The 2010 team finished 8–5 (5–4 in the Pac-10) and was ineligible for post-season play.
2011
On February 9, 2010, Commissioner Larry Scott announced that the Pac-10 would be considering expanding to twelve schools. The Pac-10 Conference officially became the Pac-12 Conference following the addition of Colorado and Utah on July 1, 2011.
In 2011, although USC finished in first place in its conference division with a 7–2 record, due to their ineligibility to participate in a bowl game, the UCLA Bruins became champions of the inaugural Pac-12 South Division. In the final regular-season game, USC's 50–0 win over UCLA was the largest margin of victory in the rivalry since 1930.
The release of the December 4, 2011, final regular-season Associated Press college football poll marked USC's return to national prominence with the No. 5 ranking. The Trojans were not eligible for postseason play and did not participate in any Bowl game. When the final AP Football Poll was released, USC dropped one spot to the No. 6 ranking.
2012
USC was ranked number one in The Associated Press' preseason college football poll for the seventh time in school history and the first time in five seasons, edging out No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 LSU. However, the early season expectations would backfire as the Trojans would eventually finish 7–5 (5–4 versus Pac-12 opponents), including losses to all three of their major rivals (Notre Dame, UCLA, and Stanford) all in the same year for the first time since 1992. The team finished second in the Pac-12 South standings and unranked in any poll.
2013
The 2013 USC Trojans football team finished the season 10–4, 6–3 in Pac-12 play to finish in a tie for second place in the South Division. They were invited to the Las Vegas Bowl where they defeated Fresno State. Head coach Lane Kiffin, who was in his fourth year, was fired on September 29 after a 3–2 start to the season. He was replaced by interim head coach Ed Orgeron. At the end of the regular season, Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian was hired as the new head coach beginning in 2014. This prompted Orgeron to resign before the bowl game. Clay Helton led the Trojans in the Las Vegas Bowl.
2014
Steve Sarkisian, in his first year as head coach at USC, led the Trojans to a 9–4 season (6–3 in the Pac-12) to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the South Division. They were invited to the Holiday Bowl where they defeated Nebraska 45-42. On September 8, 2014, Sarkisian and athletic director Pat Haden were reprimanded by Pac-12 Conference commissioner Larry Scott for attempting "to influence the officiating, and ultimately the outcome of a contest" during the game against Stanford two days earlier.
2015
The 2015 season was a tumultuous one for the Trojans with a season record of 8–4 overall and 6–3 in Pac-12 play to finish as Pac-12 Southern Conference champions. Mid-season, coach Steve Sarkisian was fired to deal with personal issues, and Clay Helton was again named the interim head coach. ESPN later reported that Sarkisian came to a pre-practice meeting, appearing to be intoxicated. According to Scott Wolf, the USC beat writer for the Los Angeles Daily News, several players smelled alcohol on Sarkisian's breath.
The Trojans had lost to Stanford and Washington under Sarkisian. Under Helton, USC lost to Notre Dame, but then rallied to win the next four games. A loss to Oregon left the South Division conference championship to be decided by the USC-UCLA game; USC won 40–21. USC played in its first-ever Pac-12 Conference championship game, losing to Stanford (41–22) after the Cardinal (8-1 in Pac-12, 9-2 overall) locked up the North Division title, its third in four years, with its victory over California. USC went on to lose the 2015 Holiday Bowl 23–21 to the Wisconsin Badgers. Zach Banner started all 14 games at tackle, was First Team All-Pac-12, and won USC's Offensive Lineman of the Year Award after allowing only nine total pressures on 426 pass attempts, according to Pro Football Focus, which graded him as the season's top pass-blocking right tackle. On December 7, Sarkisian filed a $30 million termination lawsuit against USC.[25]
2016
The 2016 USC Trojans football season marked Clay Helton's first full season as USC head coach. The team finished the season 10–3, (7–2 Pac-12), finishing as the runner-up of the South Division title and as Rose Bowl champions. After a 1–3 start during the month of September that featured losses to teams such as No. 1 Alabama, No. 7 Stanford, and No. 24 Utah, the Trojans began a nine-game winning streak to end their season. Some notable wins include victories over No. 21 Colorado, No. 4 Washington, and No. 5 Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Sam Darnold, a redshirt freshman quarterback, became the starter over Max Browne (1–2 record as starting QB) a few days before the Utah game. With that, the Trojans received much-needed stability after years of turmoil and coaching changes. The season was capped off with a dramatic 52–49 win in the Rose Bowl over Penn State, their first Rose Bowl victory in 8 years. USC finished No. 3 in the final AP polls for the season. Zach Banner, captain of the team, was again All-Pac-12 first-team, was CollegeSportsMadness.com All American first-team, Senior CLASS Award All-American first-team, Phil Steele All-Pac-12 first-team, a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award (given to the nation's top senior excelling in community/classroom/character/competition), and was the team's Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year.
2017
Entering the season, the Trojans were ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll's preseason rankings. They finished the season 11–3, 8–1 in Pac-12, to be champions of the South Division. They represented the South Division in the Pac-12 Championship Game where they defeated Stanford to become Pac-12 Champions. They were invited to play in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State, but lost 24–7. In the final AP poll, they were ranked No. 12.
Notable players to depart to the NFL include Sam Darnold and Ronald Jones II. Darnold is the 5th USC quarterback to be drafted in the first round of the NFL since 1967.
2018
Through ranked No. 15 in the AP Poll's preseason rankings, the Trojans finished the season 5–7, (4–5 Pac-12), the program's first losing record since 2000 where they held the same record. USC lost to both of its major rivals, UCLA and Notre Dame, in the same season for the first time since 2013, and it also lost to all other California Pac-12 schools (UCLA, California, and Stanford) in the same season for the first time since 1996. They tied Arizona for third place in the Pac-12 South Division.
On November 25, USC athletic director Lynn Swann announced that head coach Clay Helton would return in 2019.
2019
The Trojans finished the regular season 8–4, (7–2 Pac-12), holding second place in the Pac-12's South Division. USC was 2–3 against ranked teams. Following the regular season, they lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Holiday Bowl 24–49.
2020
On September 24, the conference announced that a six-game conference-only season would begin on November 6 with the conference's championship game to be played on December 18 after initially announcing in August that all fall sports competitions were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams not selected for the championship game would be seeded to play a seventh game.
The Trojans finished the regular season with a 5–0 record, and qualified for the Pac-12 Championship Game, which they lost to Oregon 24–31. The following day, USC announced that it would not play in any bowl game, ending the season with an overall 5–1 record.
2021
The Trojans were led by sixth-year head coach Clay Helton in the first two games. Helton was subsequently fired on September 13 following the team's 42–28 loss to Stanford. Associate head coach Donte Williams took over as the team's interim head coach. They finished the 2021 season with 4–8, their worst record since 1991 where they went 3–8. They were not bowl eligible for the second time in 4 years (they were not bowl eligible the 2018 season after finishing with a 5-7 record).
2022
On November 28, 2021, Lincoln Riley was named the 30th head coach coming off of a five year stint at Oklahoma. First-year offensive coordinator Josh Henson and first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch are both intended to coach alongside him for the season. As of February 28, USC's recruiting class was ranked 65th among NCAA D1 schools. A notable incoming transfer is QB Caleb Williams, who reunites with Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma. The Trojans went on to improve dramatically over their 2021 season, going from finishing 4-8, to 10-1, and being ranked #5 in the AP poll as of Week 12. During Lincoln Riley's inaugural season, the Trojans racked up wins against Rice 66-14, Stanford 41-28, Fresno State 45-17, Oregon State 17-14, Arizona State 42-25, and Washington State 30-14 before losing a close match to #20 ranked Utah 43-42. After this setback, the Trojans would bounce back and go on to beat Arizona 45-37, California 41-35, Colorado 55-17, and #16 ranked UCLA 48-45, clinching them a spot in the Pac-12 Championship.
By topic
Tailback U
Reggie Bush's Heisman
"Tailback U" is a nickname that emerged when Hall of Fame college football coach John McKay ('60-'75) and successor John Robinson ('76-'82) began producing a number of top-rated players at the tailback position such as Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell, Charles White, and Marcus Allen. Coach Pete Carroll has continued the trend in recent years with Heisman Trophy winning tailback Reggie Bush and current NFL players LenDale White and Justin Fargas.
Coach McKay's play calling emphasized and refined the run, taking full advantage of his quality backs-a trend followed by his former offensive coordinator and immediate successor, John Robinson. Carroll has had success and Heisman winners, both at Quarterback and Running Back.
#55
A recent tradition has a selected linebacker wearing the number 55. The number cannot be taken but is assigned by the head coach. Pete Carroll has, at times, refrained from assigning the number if he does not think any player is worthy. The player wearing #55 is typically regarded as the anchor of the defense.
Notable players who have worn #55 for USC include Junior Seau, Willie McGinest, Markus Steele, and Chris Claiborne; Seau, McGinest and Claiborne were all top-10 picks in the NFL Draft.[13]. Senior Keith Rivers is the most recent #55 to be selected in the top ten. The Cincinnati Bengals made him the ninth overall selection in the 2008 draft.
Rivalries
In the first 30 years of USC football, the school maintained rivalries with local Southern California schools like Occidental and Pomona, but these ended by the 1920s as USC grew into a national caliber team.
A "Perfect Day"
A "Perfect Day" (a phrase created by the school's football announcer Peter Arbogast) to any USC fan is a USC win, coupled with losses by ND, and UCLA. The last regular season "Perfect Day" occurred on November 10, 2007, when USC beat California, UCLA lost to Arizona State, and ND lost to Air Force.
Notre Dame
- Main article: Notre Dame-USC rivalry
The First Jeweled Shillelagh
USC plays the University of Notre Dame each year for the Jeweled Shillelagh. A majority of Trojan alumni and fans consider the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to be USC’s greatest gridiron rival. The intersectional game has featured more national championship teams, Heisman trophy winners, All-Americans, and future NFL hall-of-famers than any other collegiate match-up. The two schools have kept the annual game on their schedules since 1926 (except 1942-44 because of World War II travel restrictions) despite the fact that it enjoys neither the possibility of acquiring regional “bragging rights” nor the import of intra-league play that drive most rivalries. The game is often referred to as the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football.[14]
UCLA
- Main article: UCLA-USC rivalry
USC currently possesses the Victory Bell.
USC's rivalry with UCLA is unique in that they are the only two Division I-A programs in major a BCS conferences that share a major city. Both are within L.A. city limits, approximately 10 miles apart. Until 1983 the two schools also shared the same stadium: The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The crosstown rivals play each year for city bragging rights and the Victory Bell; and often for the right to go to the Rose Bowl. The UCLA rivalry tends to draw the focus of student supporters since many USC students have friends or family members attending "that other school" (of course, many UCLA students refer to their USC friends in the same way) and many Southern California families are evenly divided between Trojan Cardinal and Bruin Blue.
USC UCLA Lexus Gauntlet.
The USC/UCLA rivalry runs so deep that when the Trojan Marching Band plays one of their most famous tunes Tusk at any of their games...the crowd will be heard singing along "u-c-l-a- sucks."
Stanford
Stanford is USC's oldest rival,[15] in a series that dates to 1905. In the early years of football on the West Coast, the power sat in the Bay Area with the Stanford-Cal rivalry and USC rose to challenge the two established programs. During the early and mid-20th century Stanford football occasionally enjoyed periods of great regional success on the gridiron. USC and Stanford, being two major private universities on the west coast naturally drew the ire of one another. In recent history, however, Stanford has not maintained their earlier success and the rivalry has faded to many USC fans; although many Stanford fans retain a hatred for SC.[15] Recent highlights of this rivalry include a 24-23 upset of No. 2 USC by Stanford, in Los Angeles, on 6 Oct. 2007.
California
Like Stanford, the University of California, Berkeley also had an early rivalry with USC, with Cal fans maintaining a one-sided hatred for USC for many years after USC fans started to focus more on the nearby campus of UCLA.[15] However, after USC’s triple overtime loss to California in 2003, some began to suggest that a new budding rivalry between the Trojans and the Golden Bears was taking shape within the Pac-10. A close 2004 game between the two teams furthered feelings of a rivalry. Talk diminished with USC's lopsided victory in Berkeley in 2005; however, the importance of the 2006 USC-Cal game, which decided the Pac-10's BCS berth, has rekindled rivalry talk. Cal's marketing of the USC-Cal game suggests the game has reached rivalry status. California's regular season schedule alternatives between home games against Standford, Cal's historic rival, and USC. Incoming students are given free tickets to most Cal home games with the exception of Stanford and USC.[16]
Fight On
A phrase commonly used by Trojan fans to greet one another, show support for the team, and is borrowed from the fight song of the same name. i.e. "Fight On For Old S.C./Our men Fight On to Victory..." The two finger "V" salute for Victory is often given in accompaniment.
Records and Results
Results vs. AP Top 10 opponents
USC's record against AP Top 10 opponents (2001-present)
| Season | Opponent | Result | Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #10 Arizona | W, 28-26 | regular season | |
| 2013 | #5 Stanford | W, 20-17 | regular season | |
| 2012 | #1 Notre Dame | L, 22-13 | regular season | |
| 2012 | #2 Oregon | L, 62-51 | regular season | |
| 2011 | #4 Oregon | W, 38-35 | regular season | |
| 2011 | #4 Stanford | L, 56-48 (3 OT) | regular season | |
| 2010 | #1 Oregon State | L, 52-32 | regular season | |
| 2009 | #10 Oregon State | L, 20-47 | regular season | |
| 2009 | #8 Ohio State | W, 18-15 | regular season | |
| 2008 | #8 Penn State | W, 38-24 | Rose Bowl | |
| 2008 | #7 Ohio State | W, 34-7 | regular season | |
| 2007 | #7 Arizona State | W, 44-24 | regular season | |
| 2007 | #5 Oregon | L, 17-24 | regular season | |
| 2006 | #3 Michigan | W, 32-18 | Rose Bowl | |
| 2006 | #6 Notre Dame | W, 44-24 | regular season | |
| 2005 | #2 Texas | L, 38-41 | Rose Bowl* | |
| 2005 | #9 Notre Dame | W, 34-31 | regular season | |
| 2004 | #2 Oklahoma | W, 55-19 | Orange Bowl* | |
| 2004 | #7 California | W, 23-17 | regular season | |
| 2003 | #4 Michigan | W, 28-14 | Rose Bowl | |
| 2003 | #6 Washington State | W, 43-16 | regular season | |
| 2003 | #6 Auburn | W, 23-0 | regular season | |
| 2002 | #3 Iowa | W, 38-17 | Orange Bowl | |
| 2002 | #7 Notre Dame | W, 44-13 | regular season | |
| 2001 | #7 Oregon | L, 22-24 | regular season | |
| * National Championship |
Current Streaks
| Wins | Type of Record | |
|---|---|---|
| Wins vs. Notre Dame: | 6 | School Record |
| Pac-10 Conference Championships: | 6 | Pac-10 Record (Note: the 2002, 2006, and 2007 titles were shared.) |
| Games won in November
(since 2001): |
23 | |
| BCS Appearances | 6 | FBS (I-A) record |
| ≥11 win seasons | 6 | FBS (I-A) record |
Season records
1888-1900
Bold indicates a National Championship-winning team.
| Year | Record | Win % | Conf. finish | Bowl appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | 2-0 | 1.000 | -- | |
| 1889 | 2-0 | 1.000 | -- | |
| 1890 | No Varsity Team |
|||
| 1891 | 1-2 | .333 | -- | |
| 1892 | No Varsity Team |
|||
| 1893 | 3-1 | .750 | -- | |
| 1894 | 1-0 | 1.000 | -- | |
| 1895 | 0-1-1 | .000 | -- | |
| 1896 | 0-3 | .000 | -- | |
| 1897 | 5-1 | .833 | -- | |
| 1898 | 5-1-1 | .714 | -- | |
| 1899 | 2-3-1 | .333 | -- | |
| 1900 | 1-1-1 | .333 | -- |
1901-1925
Bold indicates a National Championship-winning team.
| Year | Record | Win % | Conf. finish | Bowl appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 0-1 | .000 | -- | |
| 1902 | 2-3 | .400 | -- | |
| 1903 | 4-2 | .667 | -- | |
| 1904 | 6-1 | .857 | -- | |
| 1905 | 6-3-1 | .600 | -- | |
| 1906 | 2-0-2 | .500 | -- | |
| 1907 | 5-1 | .833 | -- | |
| 1908 | 3-1-1 | .600 | -- | |
| 1909 | 3-1-2 | .500 | -- | |
| 1910 | 7-0-1 | .875 | -- | |
| 1911 | Rugby | |||
| 1912 | Rugby | |||
| 1913 | Rugby | |||
| 1914 | 4-3 | .571 | -- | |
| 1915 | 3-4 | .429 | -- | |
| 1916 | 5-3 | .625 | -- | |
| 1917 | 4-2-1 | .571 | -- | |
| 1918 | 2-2-2 | .333 | -- | |
| 1919 | 4-1 | .800 | -- | |
| 1920 | 6-0 | 1.000 | -- | |
| 1921 | 10-1 | .909 | -- | |
| 1922 | 10-1 | .909 | 4th PCC | Beat Penn State 14-3 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1923 | 6-2 | .750 | T3rd PCC | |
| 1924 | 9-2 | .818 | 5th PCC | Beat Missouri 20-7 in the Christmas Festival Bowl |
| 1925 | 11-2 | .846 | T3rd PCC |
1926-1950
Bold indicates a National Championship-winning team.
| Year | Record | Win % | Conf. finish | Bowl appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 8-2 | .800 | 2nd PCC | |
| 1927 | 8-2-1 | .840 | T1st PCC | |
| 1928 | 9-0-1 | .950 | 1st PCC | |
| 1929 | 10-2 | .833 | 1st PCC | Beat Pittsburgh 47-14 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1930 | 8-2 | .800 | 2nd PCC | |
| 1931 | 10-1 | .909 | 1st PCC | Beat Tulane 21-12 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1932 | 10-0 | 1.000 | 1st PCC | Beat Pittsburgh 35-0 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1933 | 10-1-1 | .875 | 3rd PCC | |
| 1934 | 4-6-1 | .409 | 7th PCC | |
| 1935 | 5-7 | .417 | 8th PCC | |
| 1936 | 4-2-3 | .611 | 4th PCC | Beat Hawaii 38-6 in the Poi BowlA |
| 1937 | 4-4-2 | .500 | 7th PCC | |
| 1938 | 9-2 | .818 | T1st PCC | Beat Duke 7-3 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1939 | 8-0-2 | .900 | 1st PCC | Beat Tennessee 14-0 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1940 | 3-4-2 | .444 | 7th PCC | |
| 1941 | 2-6-1 | .278 | 8th PCC | |
| 1942 | 5-5-1 | .500 | 4th PCC | |
| 1943 | 8-2 | .800 | 1st PCC | Beat Washington 29-0 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1944 | 8-0-2 | .900 | 1st PCC | Beat Tennessee 25-0 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1945 | 7-4 | .636 | 1st PCC | Lost to Alabama 14-34 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1946 | 6-4 | .600 | 3rd PCC | |
| 1947 | 7-2-1 | .750 | 1st PCC | Lost to Michigan 0-49 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1948 | 6-3-1 | .650 | 3rd PCC | |
| 1949 | 5-3-1 | .611 | T3rd PCC | |
| 1950 | 2-5-2 | .333 | 8th PCC |
1951-1975
Bold indicates a National Championship-winning team.
| Year | Record | Win % | Conf. finish | Bowl appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 7-3 | .700 | 4th PCC | |
| 1952 | 10-1 | .909 | 1st PCC | Beat Wisconsin 7-0 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1953 | 6-3-1 | .650 | 3rd PCC | |
| 1954 | 8-4 | .667 | 2nd PCC | Lost To Ohio State 20-7 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1955 | 6-4 | .600 | 6th PCC | |
| 1956 | 8-2 | .800 | T2nd PCC | |
| 1957 | 1-9 | .100 | T7th PCC | |
| 1958 | 4-5-1 | .450 | 3rd PCC | |
| 1959 | 8-2 | .800 | T1st AAWU | |
| 1960 | 4-6 | .400 | 2nd AAWU | |
| 1961 | 4-5-1 | .450 | T2nd AAWU | |
| 1962 | 11-0 | 1.000 | 1st AAWU | Beat Wisconsin 42-37 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1963 | 7-3 | .700 | 2nd AAWU | |
| 1964 | 7-3 | .700 | T1st AAWU | |
| 1965 | 7-2-1 | .750 | 2nd AAWU | |
| 1966 | 7-4 | .636 | 1st AAWU | Lost to Purdue 13-14 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1967 | 10-1 | .909 | 1st AAWU | Beat Indiana 14-3 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1968 | 9-1-1 | .864 | 1st Pac 8 | Lost to Ohio State 16-27 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1969 | 10-0-1 | .955 | 1st Pac 8 | Beat Michigan 10-3 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1970 | 6-4-1 | .591 | T6th Pac 8 | |
| 1971 | 6-4-1 | .591 | 2nd Pac 8 | |
| 1972 | 12-0 | 1.000 | 1st Pac 8 | Beat Ohio State 42-17 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1973 | 9-2-1 | .792 | 1st Pac 8 | Lost to Ohio State 21-42 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1974 | 10-1-1 | .875 | 1st Pac 8 | Beat Ohio State 18-17 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1975 | 8-4 | .667 | 5th Pac 8 | Beat Texas A&M 20-0 in the Liberty Bowl |
1976-2000
Bold indicates a National Championship-winning team.
| Year | Record | Win % | Conf. finish | Bowl appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 11-1 | .917 | 1st Pac 8 | Beat Michigan 14-6 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1977 | 8-4 | .667 | T2nd Pac 8 | Beat Texas A&M 47-28 in the Bluebonnet Bowl |
| 1978 | 12-1 | .923 | 1st Pac 10 | Beat Michigan 17-10 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1979 | 11-0-1 | .958 | 1st Pac 10 | Beat Ohio State 17-16 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1980 | 8-2-1 | .773 | 3rd Pac 10 | |
| 1981 | 9-3 | .750 | T2nd Pac 10 | Lost to Penn State 10-26 in the Fiesta Bowl |
| 1982 | 8-3 | .727 | T3rd Pac 10 | |
| 1983 | 4-6-1 | .409 | 4th Pac 10 | |
| 1984 | 9-3 | .750 | 1st Pac 10 | Beat Ohio State 20-17 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1985 | 6-6 | .500 | T4th Pac 10 | Lost to Alabama 3-24 in the Aloha Bowl |
| 1986 | 7-5 | .583 | T4th Pac 10 | Lost to Auburn 7-16 in the Citrus Bowl |
| 1987 | 8-4 | .667 | T1st Pac 10 | Lost to Michigan State 17-20 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1988 | 10-2 | .833 | 1st Pac 10 | Lost to Michigan 14-22 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1989 | 9-2-1 | .792 | 1st Pac 10 | Beat Michigan 17-10 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1990 | 8-4-1 | .654 | 2nd Pac 10 | Lost to Michigan State 16-17 in the Sun Bowl |
| 1991 | 3-8 | .273 | 8th Pac 10 | |
| 1992 | 6-5-1 | .542 | T3rd Pac 10 | Lost to Fresno State 7-24 in the Freedom Bowl |
| 1993 | 8-5 | .615 | T1st Pac 10 | Beat Utah 28-21 in the Freedom Bowl |
| 1994 | 8-3-1 | .708 | T2nd Pac 10 | Beat Texas Tech 55-14 in the Cotton Bowl |
| 1995 | 9-2-1 | .792 | T1st Pac 10 | Beat Northwestern 41-32 in the Rose Bowl |
| 1996 | 6-6 | .500 | T5th Pac 10 | |
| 1997 | 6-5 | .545 | T5th Pac 10 | |
| 1998 | 8-5 | .615 | T3rd Pac 10 | Lost to TCU 19-28 in the Sun Bowl |
| 1999 | 6-6 | .500 | T6th Pac 10 | |
| 2000 | 5-7 | .417 | T8th Pac 10 |
2001-2025
Bold indicates a National Championship-winning team.
| Year | Record | Win % | Conf. finish | Bowl appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 6-6 | .500 | 5th Pac 10 | Lost to Utah 6-10 in the Las Vegas Bowl |
| 2002 | 11-2 | .846 | T1st Pac 10 | Beat Iowa 38-17 in the Orange Bowl |
| 2003 | 12-1 | .923 | 1st Pac 10 | Beat Michigan 28-14 in the Rose Bowl |
| 2004 | 13-0 | 1.000 | 1st Pac 10 | Beat Oklahoma 55-19 in the Orange Bowl |
| 2005 | 12-1 | .923 | 1st Pac 10 | Lost to Texas 38-41 in the Rose Bowl |
| 2006 | 11-2 | .846 | T1st Pac 10 | Beat Michigan 32-18 in the Rose Bowl |
| 2007 | 11-2 | .846 | T1st Pac 10 | Beat Illinois 49-17 in the Rose Bowl |
| 2008 | 12-1 | .923 | 1st Pac 10 | Beat Penn State 38-24 in the Rose Bowl |
| 2009 | 9-4 | .692 | T5th Pac 10 | Beat Boston College 24-13 in the Emerald Bowl |
| 2010 | 8-5 | .615 | T3rd Pac 10 | None due to NCAA sanctions |
| 2011 | 10-2 | .833 | 3rd Pac 12 (1st South) |
None due to NCAA sanctions |
| 2012 | 7-6 | .538 | T4th Pac 12 (2nd South) |
Lost to Georgia Tech 7-21 in the Sun Bowl |
| 2013 | 10-4 | .714 | T4th Pac 12 (T2nd South) |
Beat Fresno State 45-20 in the Las Vegas Bowl |
| 2014 | 8-4 | .667 | T3rd Pac 12 (T2nd South) |
Defeated Nebraska in Holiday Bowl |
| 2015 | 8-6 | .571 | T3rd Pac 12 (T1st South) |
Lost to Wisconsin 23-21 in Holiday Bowl |
| 2016 | 10-3 | .769 | T2nd Pac-12 (2nd in South) |
Beat Penn State 52-49 in Rose Bowl |
| 2017 | 11-3 | .786 | 1st in Pac-12 (1st in South) |
Beat Ohio State 24-7 in Rose Bowl |
| 2018 | 5-7 | .714 | T4th in Pac-12 (T3rd in South) |
|
| 2019 | 8-5 | .615 | 3rd in Pac-12 (2nd in South) |
Lost to Iowa 24-49 in Holiday Bowl |
| 2020 | 5-1 | .833 | 2nd in Pac-12 (T1st in South) |
|
| 2021 | 4-8 | .333 | T8th in Pac-12 (T4th in South) |
|
| 2022 | ||||
| Total (as of 2021) | 878-354-54 | .704 |
Awards[17]
Team awards
National Titles
2004 AP National Championship Trophy
USC holds 11 national titles, although two are contested. Since the NCAA does not conduct a playoff in Division 1-A football, there is no official national champion. The NCAA does have a list of polls, computer systems and others that are often used to attempt to determine National Champions. Because there is no playoff there are often disputes over who really has won the National Championship. Some years there are undisputed champions (where one school is ranked number one in all the polls), other years there are consensus champions (when one school clearly has been ranked number one in most of the polls) and some years there are split or shared championships (where two or more schools are ranked number one in major polls) Two of the championships - 1928 and 1939 - have been challenged by some sports historians. In both cases USC bases its claim on winning the Dickinson System, a formula devised by a University of Illinois professor which awarded the only championship trophy between 1926 and 1940. In both these years, Dickinson was the only poll or system to rank the Trojans number one. USC's stance, however, is in keeping with that of most other schools which won the Dickinson title; only Notre Dame, which won the Dickinson crown in 1938, does not claim a major national title for that year. Since at least 1969, USC had not listed 1939 as a national championship year; but in 2004, USC once again began recognizing the 1939 team as national champions after it determined that it qualified.[18][19][20]
Here are the years USC has been national champions:
- 1928 Dickinson poll (other sports historians consider Georgia Tech to have been designated the national championship this year)
- 1931 Consensus national champion
- 1932 Consensus national champion
- 1939 Dickinson poll (Texas A&M received the AP national championship)
- 1962 Consensus national champion
- 1967 Consensus national champion
- 1972 Consensus national champion
- 1974 UPI national champion (Oklahoma received the AP national championship)
- 1978 UPI national champion (Alabama received the AP national championship)
- 2003 AP national champion (LSU won the BCS national championship)
- 2004 Consensus national champion
USC teams have also been selected as national champions in five other years (1929, 1933, 1976, 1979, 2002) by various nationally published ratings systems. These ratings systems are not generally viewed as part of process of selecting the national championship. USC does not claim to have won titles in any of these years.
Pacific Ten conference titles
Marcus Allen's Retired Jersey
The Trojans have suffered only three losing seasons since 1961 and have captured 37 Pac-10 titles. This gives them the 4th most conference championships of any NCAA school, and twice as many as any other Pac-10 member team.
Bowl games
The Trojans have played in 47 bowl games–placing them fourth nationally– winning 30 of these appearances. USC is only second behind Alabama's Crimson Tide for the most Bowl wins ever at 31. USC's 23 victories and 32 Rose Bowl appearances are the most of any school in a single bowl.
Individual awards
Individual players have won numerous accolades with 7 Heisman Trophy winners, 34 College Football Hall of Fame inductees, and 148 All-Americans. USC's first All-American was offensive guard Brice Taylor in 1925, who notably excelled despite missing his left hand and was one of USC's first African-American players.
National award winners
Players
|
|
Coaches
- Paul "Bear" Bryant Award
- John McKay, Head Coach (1962), (1972)
- Home Depot Coach of the Year Award
- Pete Carroll, Head Coach (2003)
- Broyles Award
- Norm Chow, Offensive Coordinator - (2002)
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
- Howard Jones, Head Coach (1951)
- Morley Drury, B (1954)
- Mel Hein, Assistant Coach (1954)
- Harry Smith, G (1955)
- Erny Pinckert, B (1957)
- Aaron Rosenberg, G (1966)
- Ernie Smith, T (1970)
- Dan McMillan, T (1971)
- Mort Kaer, B (1972)
- Aubrey Devine, Assistant Coach (1973)
- John Ferraro, T (1974)
- Frank Gifford, B (1975)
- Cotton Warburton, B (1975)
- Tay Brown, T (1980)
- Johnny Baker, G (1983)
- O. J. Simpson, TB (1983)
- Mike Garrett, B (1985)
- Bob Blackman, Assistant Coach (1987)
- Mike McKeever, G (1987)
- Ron Yary, T (1987)
- John McKay, Head Coach (1988)
- Paul Cleary, E (1989)
- Mike McGee, Athletic Director (1990)
- Lynn Swann, FL (1993)
- Marvin Powell, T (1994)
- Charles White, TB (1996)
- Ricky Hunley, Assistant Coach (1997)
- Ken O'Brien, Assistant Coach (1997)
- Brad Budde, G (1998)
- Don Coryell, Assistant Coach (1999)
- Marcus Allen, TB (2000)
- Jon Arnett, HB (2001)
- Ronnie Lott, S (2002)
- Ricky Bell, TB (2003)
- Charles Young, TE (2004)
- Anthony Davis, TB (2005)
- Richard Wood, LB (2007)
Other notable individual accomplishments
Heisman finalists
- Jim Sears, HB/S (7th in 1952)
- Jon Arnett, HB (10th in 1956)
- O.J. Simpson, TB (2nd in 1967)
- Anthony Davis, TB (2nd in 1974)
- Ricky Bell, TB (3rd in 1975 and 2nd in 1976)
- Charles White, TB (4th in 1978)
- Paul McDonald, QB (6th in 1979)
- Rodney Peete, QB (2nd in 1988)
- Keyshawn Johnson, WR (7th in 1995)
- Matt Leinart, QB (6th in 2003 and 3rd in 2005)
- Mike Williams, WR (8th in 2003)
- Reggie Bush, TB (5th in 2004)
All Century Trojan Football Team
selected by fan vote, published in the Orange County Register, November 17, 1999
|
OFFENSE |
DEFENSE |
USC All-Time Team
Chosen by Athlon Sports in 2001 [1]
|
OFFENSE |
DEFENSE |
From the field to the sidelines
- Jeff Fisher, CB (head coach of the St. Louis Rams)
- Mike Holmgren, QB (former NFL head coach)
- Jack Del Rio, LB (defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos)
- Sam Anno, LB (USC assistant coach)
- Rocky Seto, LB (Seattle Seahawks assistant coach)
- Hudson Houck, OL (offensive line coach of the Dallas Cowboys)
- Jim Fassel, QB (former head coach of the New York Giants)
- Kennedy Polamalu, RB (USC assistant coach)
From the field to the broadcast booth
- Frank Gifford, RB (former Monday Night Football commentator)
- Pat Haden, QB (former NBC color commentator for Notre Dame games, current USC athletic director)
- Sean Salisbury, QB (former ESPN NFL analyst)
- Paul McDonald, QB (color commentator for USC games)
- Lynn Swann, WR (former ABC Sports commentator)
- Petros Papadakis, RB (Fox Sports commentator)
- John Jackson (football), WR (FSN commentator)
- Jason Sehorn, DB (In 2005, Sehorn joined Fox Sports Net, and is currently a panelist on their Sunday NFL pregame show)
- Bob Chandler, WR (Los Angeles Raiders broadcast team)
- Rodney Peete, QB (panelist on FSN's Best Damn Sports Show Period!)
From the field to the red carpet
- John Wayne, OL (Hollywood movie star from the 1920s through the 1970s)
- Ward Bond, T (Hollywood actor from the 1920s through the 1950s)
- Aaron Rosenberg, T (Hollywood director of Mutiny on the Bounty)
Facilities
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The peristyle and Olympic Torch of the Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is one of the largest stadiums in the U.S. USC has played football in the Coliseum ever since the grand stadium was built in 1923. In fact, the Trojans played in the first varsity football game ever held there (beating Pomona College 23-7 on October 6, 1923). The Coliseum was the site of the 1932 Summer Olympics and hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and track events of the 1984 Olympic Games. Over the years, the Coliseum has been home to many sports teams besides the Trojans, including UCLA football, the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and Raiders, and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball, including the 1959 World Series. The Coliseum has hosted various other events, from concerts and speeches to track meets and motorcycle races. The Coliseum has a present full-capacity of 92,000 seats (almost all are chair-back seats). The Coliseum is located on 17 acres in Exposition Park, which also houses museums, gardens and the Los Angeles Sports Arena [2].
Howard Jones Field/Brian Kennedy Field
The University of Southern California football team practices on campus at Howard Jones Field, which was expanded in the fall of 1998 to include Brian Kennedy Field. In early 1999, Goux's Gate - named after the popular long-time assistant coach Marv Goux - was erected at the entrance to the practice fields.
Trojans in the NFL
USC has had more 1st Round NFL Draft picks (67) than any other team. One hundred and sixty two (162) Trojans have been selected to the NFL Pro Bowl, a Trojan has played in all but two Super Bowls.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees
- Frank Gifford, HB (1977)
- Ron Mix, OT (1979)
- Morris 'Red' Badgro, E (1981)
- O.J. Simpson, RB (1985)
- Willie Wood, DB (1989)
- Anthony Muñoz, OT (1998)
- Ronnie Lott, DB (2000)
- Lynn Swann, WR (2001)
- Ron Yary, OT (2001)
- Marcus Allen, RB (2003)
- Bruce Matthews,OT,OG,C (2007)
Media
Radio flagship: KSPN 710-AM in Los Angeles ("ESPN Radio 710")
Broadcasters: Pete Arbogast (play-by-play), Paul McDonald (analyst) and John Jackson (sideline reporter).
Past broadcasters: Tom Kelly, Lee Hacksaw Hamilton, Tim Ryan, Larry Kahn, Mike Walden, Chick Hearn, Petros Papadakis, Fred Gallagher and Mike Lamb, among the most recent USC radio broadcasters. Until 1995, radio station KNX AM-1070 in Los Angeles was the school's football flagship station. From 2001 to 2006, KMPC AM-1540 was the Trojan's flagship.
Public address announcer: Dennis Packer.
See Also
Notes
a. ^ Hawaii invited PCC teams to play in the Poi Bowl at the end of the season from 1936 to 1939. Although the College Football Data Warehouse lists the game as a "College Division/Minor Bowl Game", the NCAA as well as USC's own official records list it as simply a regular season game at the end of the season.[21][22][23] Thus, in this article the game is not counted in USC's bowl record.
References
- ↑ Traditions: USC National Titles, USCTrojans.com, Accessed March 22, 2008.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mal Florence et al, The Trojan Heritage, 2004 USC Football Media Guide, USC Athletic Department, pp. 201-209.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Turning of the Tide: How One Game Changed the South,Yaeger, Don; Sam Cunningham , John Papadakis (September 1 2006). . Center Street. ISBN 1931722943.
- ↑ Lenn Robbins, Trojans Have Horses, New York Post, August 26, 2007
- ↑ Pat Forde, The Dash is off and running, ESPN.com, August 28, 2007
- ↑ Ivan Maisel, Carroll's coaching propels USC to top of decade ranking, ESPN.com, July 27, 2007.
- ↑ Storied programs dominate Ladder 119's top rungs, ESPN.com, July 27, 2007.
- ↑ Stewart Mandel, Early look at '07, CNNSI.com, January 16, 2007.
- ↑ Mark Schlabach, Trojans, Wolverines top revised look at 2007, ESPN.com, January 22, 2007.
- ↑ Dave Albee,Carroll Chronicles: Celebrities love to practice with Pete, Marin Independent Journal, August 29, 2007.
- ↑ Christine Daniels, They're No. 1 on this list too, Los Angeles Times, September 28, 2007.
- ↑ Chris Dufrense, UCLA victory is crucial for Dorrell, Los Angeles Times, September 20, 2007.
- ↑ Chris Harry, Rivers lives up to No. 55, Orlando Sentinel, February 25, 2008.
- ↑ John Walters, Does it get any better than this?, SI.com, October 13, 2005.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Beano Cook, Longstanding West Coast rivalry, ESPN Classic, September 26, 2001, Accessed Sept. 9, 2006.
- ↑ Cal Football Tickets 2007
- ↑ All information in the Awards section (and the rest of the article) can be crosschecked in the 2006 USC Trojans Football Media Guide.
- ↑ This Just In: USC Also Is a 1939 Champion. Washington Post, July 28, 2004
- ↑ USC 1939 National Champions. Washington Times, August 27, 2004
- ↑ USC Now Will Recognize Its 1939 Football Team As A National Champion. Trojan have 10 national champs in the sport. USC Trojans Athletic Department, July 24, 2004.
- ↑ Poi Bowl Games, College Football Data Warehouse, Accessed January 31, 2008.
- ↑ All-Time USC Record, 2004 USC Football Media Guide, USC Athletic Department, pp. 156.
- ↑ Official 2007 NCAA Division-I Football Records Book, National Collegiate Athletic Association, August 2007.
