Claim: The 1939 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California, Trojans defeated the Tennessee Volunteers but finished third in the final AP Poll which ranks the top 25 NCAA teams.
Evidence: The 1939 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1939 college football season. The Trojans defeated the Tennessee Volunteers in the 1940 Rose Bowl, scoring the only points achieved on the Volunteers all season, ending their 23-game win streak. USC finished third in the final AP Poll, which was conducted before bowl season. The Associated Press Poll (AP Poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball.