# 2010 USC Trojans football team

The 2010 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Trojans were led by head coach Lane Kiffin, who was in his 1st season. They played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as members of the Pacific-10 Conference.

## Pre-season

* July 1, 2010 – Running backs coach Todd McNair's contract expired June 30, 2010. He played a key part in the NCAA's investigation of the school's athletic department dealing with former Trojans running back Reggie Bush.
* July 6, 2010 – Seantrel Henderson, the nation's No. 1-ranked offensive tackle recruit was given a release from his commitment to play with USC. Following the release from his commitment, Henderson signed to play with the University of Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes football team. Defensive end Malik Jackson transferred to Tennessee.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 8:00 p.m. | at Hawai'i* | No. 14 | Aloha StadiumHonolulu, HI | ESPN | W 49–36 | 44,204 |
| September 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Virginia* | No. 16 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | FSN | W 17–14 | 81,375 |
| September 18 | 12:30 p.m. | at Minnesota* | No. 18 | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN | ESPN | W 32–21 | 50,442 |
| September 25 | 12:00 p.m. | at Washington State | No. 20 | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | FSN | W 50–16 | 24,310 |
| October 2 | 5:00 p.m. | Washington | No. 18 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | ESPN2 | L 31–32 | 82,796 |
| October 9 | 5:00 p.m. | at No. 16 Stanford | | Stanford StadiumStanford, CA (rivalry) | ABC | L 35–37 | 51,607 |
| October 16 | 12:30 p.m. | California | | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | FSN | W 48–14 | 72,386 |
| October 30 | 5:00 p.m. | No. 1 Oregon | No. 24 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA (College GameDay) | ABC/ESPN3 | L 32–53 | 88,726 |
| November 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Arizona State | | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | FSN | W 34–33 | 68,744 |
| November 13 | 5:00 p.m. | at No. 18 Arizona | | Arizona StadiumTucson, AZ | ABC | W 24–21 | 54,722 |
| November 20 | 5:00 p.m. | at Oregon State | No. 20 | Reser StadiumCorvallis, OR | ABC | L 7–36 | 44,969 |
| November 27 | 5:00 p.m. | Notre Dame* | | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA (Jeweled Shillelagh) | ABC | L 16–20 | 85,417 |
| December 4 | 7:30 p.m. | at UCLA | | Rose BowlPasadena, CA (Victory Bell) | FSN | W 28–14 | 71,105 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Pacific time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Hawaii Warriors

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 14 Trojans | 14 | 13 | 15 | 7 | 49 |
| Hawaii | 3 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 36 |
at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI
* Date: September 2nd, 2010
* Game time: 8:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 83 Degrees
* Game attendance: 44,204
* TV: ESPN
Game information :
First quarter
USC - David Ausberry 46 yard pass from Matt Barkley for a TD (2-point pass failed), 10:07 - USC 6-0
HAW - Scott Enos kicks a 24-yard field goal, 6:33 - USC 6-3
USC - Ronald Johnson 1 yard pass from Matt Barkley for a TD (Ronald Johnson 2-point pass), 1:38 - USC 14-3
Second quarter
USC - Rhett Ellison 6 yard pass from Matt Barkley (2-point pass failed), 12:19 - USC 20-3
HAW - Scott Enos kicks a 40 yard field goal, 7:27 - USC 20-6
HAW - Kealoha Pilares 56 yard pass from Bryant Moniz (Scott Enos kick), 2:57 - USC 20-13
USC - Ronald Johnson 13 yard pass from Matt Barkley (Joe Houston kick), 1:06 - USC 27-13
HAW - Scott Enos kicks a 18 yard field goal, 0:03 - USC 27-16
Third quarter
USC - Ronald Johnson returns a punt for a 89 yard TD (Joe Houston kick), 7:17 - USC 34-16
HAW - Alex Green runs for a 1 yard TD (Scott Enos kick), 1:54 - USC 34-23
USC - Ronald Johnson 3 yard pass from Matt Barkley (Mitch Mustain 2-point rush), 0:27 - USC 42-23
Fourth quarter
HAW - Kealoha Pilares 65 yard pass from Shane Austin (Scott Enos kick), 6:48 - USC 42-30
USC - Marc Tyler runs for a 44 yard TD (Joe Houston kick), 6:35 - USC 49-30
HAW - Kealoha Pilares 30 yard pass from Shane Austin (2-point pass failed), 3:52 - USC 49-36
Passing
USC - Matt Barkley 18-23, 257 yards, 5TDs
Hawaii - Bryant Monlz 18-36, 269 yards, 1TD
Rushing
USC - Marc Tyler 17 carries, 154 yards, 1TD
Hawaii - Alex Green 9 carries, 66 yards, 1TD
Receiving
USC - Ronald Johnson 7 receptions, 59 yards, 3TDs
Hawaii - Kealoha Pilares 5 receptions, 176 yards, 3TDs :
| Statistics | No. 14 USC | Hawaii |
| First downs | 25 | 31 |
| Plays–yards | 62-524 | 78-588 |
| Rushes–yards | 35-246 | 29-129 |
| Passing yards | 278 | 459 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 20-27-0 | 27-49-0 |
| Time of possession | 27:53 | 32:07 |
The Trojans began the season by taking advantage of the NCCA's Hawaii scheduling exemption which permits an extra non-conference game when traveling to Hawaii, which allowed them a 13-game schedule without a bowl game. The game turned out to be an offensive showcase, with Matt Barkley throwing a USC record-tying five touchdowns.

### Virginia Cavaliers

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cavaliers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| #16 Trojans | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
In their home debut the Trojans hosted the Virginia Cavaliers, who played their first game ever in the state of California. Compared with the previous match's high-scoring, the game remained close with the Cavaliers failing by only three points.

### Minnesota Golden Gophers

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #18 Trojans | 7 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 32 |
| Golden Gophers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
USC extended its victory streak against Big Ten schools to 11 games in a road win against the embattled Golden Gophers, who lost their previous game to FCS foe South Dakota. Minnesota went on to fire its head coach Tim Brewster later in the season. The game was also the 19th straight nonconference win by the Trojans, a streak that would be broken later in the season by Notre Dame.

### Washington State Cougars

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #20 Trojans | 21 | 7 | 15 | 7 | 50 |
| Cougars | 7 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
Southern California began their conference schedule after dropping six spots in the AP rankings since the preseason poll despite going undefeated. Washington State scored on their opening drive, but the Trojans went on to score 50 points in a blowout, earning Lane Kiffin a 4-0 record, the best start of a USC coach's tenure since Jess Hill in 1951.

### Washington Huskies

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 3 | 17 | 3 | 9 | 32 |
| #18 Trojans | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
For consecutive years, head coach Steve Sarkisian's Washington Huskies upset the Trojans by kicking a last-second field goal. Sarkisian was an assistant coach at USC prior to taking over the program at Washington.
Erik Folk, who hit the game-winning field goal for Washington, was named Pac-10 special teams player of the week. He went 4-for-4 on field goals and completed two PAT attempts. The previous year, Folk kicked a 22-yarder to defeat the Trojans 16-13.

### Stanford Cardinal

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Trojans | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
| #16 Cardinal | 7 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 37 |
For the second week in a row USC lost in the final seconds of the game by a field goal, as Stanford kicker Nate Whitaker made a 30-yarder as time expired. It marked the first time since 2000 that Stanford defeated the Trojans at Stanford Stadium, and the first time since 2001 that USC has lost two games in a row.

### California Golden Bears

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Bears | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Trojans | 14 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 48 |
Matt Barkley once again tied the USC mark for touchdown passes in a game by throwing five to put the Trojans up 42-0 at halftime. USC rested its starters in the second half, allowing 14 points, but still prevailed by 34 points.

### Oregon Ducks

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #1 Ducks | 8 | 21 | 14 | 10 | 53 |
| #24 Trojans | 10 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 32 |
The Ducks came into the game ranked 1st in the AP poll. The previous three weeks a team ranked number one had lost, but the Trojans were unable to continue this streak. USC had a three-point lead in the third quarter, but Oregon scored all the game's remaining points and won by margin of three touchdowns.

### Arizona State Sun Devils

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Sun Devils | 7 | 0 | 14 | 12 | 33 |
| Trojans | 0 | 14 | 15 | 5 | 34 |
The Trojans eked out a single-point victory against Arizona State thanks to a rare defensive two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. After the Sun Devils scored a touchdown to put them in the lead by four points Torin Harris blocked the extra point and ran it back to the opposite end-zone, cutting ASU's newly found lead to two. Kicker Joe Houston later kicked a 29-yard field to put the Trojans in the lead, which they maintained during the game's final minutes.

### Arizona Wildcats

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Trojans | 14 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
| #18 Wildcats | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
USC beat Arizona to extend its win streak in Tucson to nine with a 160-yard performance by Marc Tyler and avenged their season-ending loss from the previous year.

### Oregon State Beavers

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #20 Trojans | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Beavers | 3 | 17 | 3 | 13 | 36 |
The Trojans lost their third straight game in Corvallis and lost Matt Barkley to injury late in the second quarter. Oregon State's 36–7 victory marked the worst defeat for USC against the Beavers in 96 years.

### Notre Dame Fighting Irish

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Fighting Irish | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Trojans | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 16 |
Playing with its backup quarterback Mitch Mustain, USC lost to Notre Dame and ended its victory streak against its arch rival dating back to 2001. The Fighting Irish scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:23 remaining in the game, and the Trojans failed to convert a two-minute drill after a pass to Ronald Johnson that would have resulted in a touchdown and the probable win was dropped. Mustain later threw an interception that ended the game and gave Notre Dame the victory.

### UCLA Bruins

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Trojans | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
| Bruins | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
After losing to rival Notre Dame the week before, USC bounced back to close their season with a win over cross-town rival UCLA to retain the Victory Bell. Quarterback Matt Barkley returned after missing the previous week and threw one of the team's two touchdown passes. Allen Bradford led the Trojans by gaining 212 yards rushing and catching a 47-yard touchdown throw to extend the victory streak against the Bruins to four.

## Rankings

Ranking Movement Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. ██ Not ranked the previous week. :
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
| AP | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 18 | NR | NR | NR | 24 | NR | NR | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Coaches | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking |
| Harris | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking |
| BCS | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking | Ineligible for ranking |