2007 USC Trojans football team The 2007 USC Trojans football team ( variously " Trojans " or " USC " ) represented the University of Southern California during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season , winning a share of the Pacific - 10 Conference ( Pac - 10 ) championship and winning the 2008 Rose Bowl . The team was coached by Pete Carroll and played their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum . The team entered the season with high expectations . It was ranked No . 1 in all national pre - season polls , picked unanimously to win the Pac - 10 Conference and expected to contend for a national championship . Those hopes were dealt a major blow when the Trojans lost to 41 - point underdog Stanford in a mid - season game that was named one of the greatest upset s in a season that became defined by them . After their second loss , there were questions as to whether the team would be able to even win their own conference , let alone compete nationally . However , USC defied mid - season expectations and rallied , finishing the season ranked No . 2 in the Coaches ' Poll and No . 3 in the Associated Press ( AP ) Poll . By the end of the season various sports journalist s said the Trojans were playing the best football of anyone in the country . The Trojans accomplished two major feats : They became the first team to win ( or share ) six straight Pac - 10 titles , and were the first team in major college football to achieve six straight 11 - win seasons . After the season , ten USC players were selected in the 2008 NFL Draft , with a school - record seven players selected in the first two rounds . As of the completion of the 2012 NFL Draft , 39 players from the 2007 USC Trojans football team were drafted into the NFL . Before the season . Pre - season outlook . The Trojans ended the 2006 season with a victory in the 2007 Rose Bowl Game and a No . 4 ranking in both AP and Coaches polls , their fifth straight year winning the Pac - 10 Championship and finishing in the top 4 . During that 5 - year period , the team won two national championships ( 2003 , 2004 ) . Prior to the 2007 season , the Trojans were ranked No . 1 in all national pre - season polls and were expected to challenge for the National Championship . The team received a boost in the offseason when many draft - eligible juniors decided to return to school for their senior seasons ; the holdover of talented veterans was a major factor in the Trojans being considered preeminent favorites for a national championship . As expected , USC was at the top of the first Coaches Poll of the season , released on August 3 , 2007 , with 45 of a possible 60 first - place votes ; other teams receiving first - place votes were No . 2 Louisiana State University ( LSU ) with 4 votes , No . 3 Florida with 6 votes , and No . 5 Michigan with 2 votes . USC was also at the top of the first AP Poll , released on August 18 , with 62 of 65 first - place votes , with No . 2 LSU receiving 2 votes and No . 3 West Virginia receiving one . In mid - August , all twelve experts polled by ESPN picked USC to win the season ' s BCS Championship Game . On August 29 , 2007 , the day before the season began , three of four experts at SI . com predicted USC would win the BCS Championship Game , attributing the decision to the Trojans defense . In terms of overall talent , Carroll stated that the 2007 squad is the " most competitive team we ' ve had " during his six - year tenure as coach . Senior starting quarterback John David Booty entered the season as a front - runner for the Heisman Trophy . Booty , along with returning senior tackle Sam Baker , were ranked as two of the " Top 20 Players Heading Into 2007 " by " Sports Illustrated " . The Trojans entered pre - season fall camp well stocked at the running back position , with 10 former high school Super Prep All - Americans , nine of whom were Prep Star all - Americans and seven were Parade all - Americans . The exceptional running back situation at USC was a major factor in " Sports Illustrated " forecasting the 2007 season as " The Year of the Running Back . " In judging USC as a pre - season favorite , particular emphasis was made on the defense . Considered to be one of the best defenses during the 2006 season , the Trojans entered 2007 with 10 returning starters and key backups . After a one - season experiment with the 3 – 4 defense formation , the defense returned to using the 4 – 3 . The highlight of the defense was the linebacking corp , led by Brian Cushing , Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga . At the Pacific - 10 Conference media day , the Trojans were the unanimous pre - season pick to win the conference ; this was USC ' s fifth year in a row as the favorite to win the conference title , and only the third time in conference history that a team had been picked unanimously ( the other two were USC in 2004 and 2005 ) . Recruiting class . USC ' s stellar recruiting class was highlighted by the three highest ranked players from the " ESPN 150 " : No . 1 Joe McKnight ( RB ) ; No . 2 Chris Galippo ( LB ) ; and No . 3 Marc Tyler ( RB ) . The Trojans also landed Scout . com ' s National Player of the Year and top overall prospect for 2007 , Everson Griffen . Other notable signees included Rivals . com ' s No . 1 WR Ronald Johnson and 5 - star OL Kristofer O ' Dowd . Despite recruiting substantially fewer players than other programs , USC signed the No . 1 or No . 2 recruiting class in various rankings , along with the Florida Gators , the winners of the 2006 National Championship . In the pre - season , McKnight and Johnson were named two of the top - 10 impact freshman for 2007 . The football program received 18 letters of intent on National Signing Day , February 7 , 2007 , listed below : Transfers . In May , the Trojans were joined by former Arkansas quarterback Mitch Mustain , who had an 8 – 0 win / loss record as a starter during his freshman ( and only ) year with the team . Mustain joined fellow Arkansas teammate and wide receiver Damian Williams , who transferred from Arkansas before the 2006 bowl season . Due to NCAA transfer rules all would be unable to compete until 2008 , although they would be allowed on the scout team . In early summer , Jordan Cameron , a former freshman basketball player from Brigham Young University , also transferred to USC to play football as a wide receiver . However , when USC refused to accept some of Cameron ' s credits from Brigham Young , he was forced to withdraw and attend Ventura College . He missed the football season but was given the option to try to rejoin the team in 2008 . Even if he had stayed at USC , due to NCAA transfer rules he would have been ineligible to play in 2007 . Cameron ended up enrolling at USC a year later . With the late 2006 dismissal of Troy Van Blarcom ( academics ) and the death of Mario Danelo , USC was left with only one experienced kicker : David Buehler , a 2006 junior college transfer from Santa Ana College who competed mainly at fullback and safety , but was used for one successful field goal attempt the previous season . In July 2007 , Joe Houston , a junior college kicker from El Camino College , joined the team as a " preferred walk - on " , guaranteed a non - scholarship spot on the team . As a junior college transfer , Houston would be able to play for the Trojans immediately . USC also recruited former University of Nebraska kicker , Jordan Congdon , who was not eligible for the 2007 season ; and Brad Smith , formerly of Davidson College . Smith was able to play immediately under an NCAA rule that permits non - scholarship players who have already received a degree to transfer once with immediate eligibility . Departures . Following the 2006 season , several players graduated , including starting senior All - Americans Steve Smith ( wide receiver ) and Ryan Kalil ( center ) , as well as all - conference linebackers Dallas Sartz and Oscar Lua . Junior All - American Dwayne Jarrett , who was their leading receiver in 2005 and 2006 , renounced his eligibility and joined the NFL . The Trojans entered fall training camp with a high number of scholarship running backs ( 10 ) , all of whom were highly touted recruits . In August , midway through camp , running back Emmanuel Moody announced he was leaving USC . Moody , who was the second - leading rusher in the 2006 season , had gained 458 yards on 79 carries in a rotating platoon of running backs in 2006 and had recently been one of three USC running backs appearing on the regional cover of " Sports Illustrated " ' s college football preview edition . Injuries had limited his playing and practice time : he suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss the team ' s last four games of the 2006 season , then missed almost all of spring practice due to a hamstring injury . Halfway through the summer training camp , Moody bruised his knee and was forced to stop practicing . He wished to be a featured player and stated he had " felt forgotten " coming into training camp due to his recent lack of playing and practice time . After looking at several schools , including Oklahoma State and North Carolina , Moody transferred to the University of Florida . At about the same time , backup receiver and redshirt freshman Jamere Holland was dismissed from the team , although not for any violation of team rules . He was allowed to stay on scholarship for the year . Holland redshirted the previous season after breaking his collarbone , reinjured it during spring practice and had clashed with coaches during his return to fall camp . He would later transfer to the University of Oregon . Offseason news . On January 6 , 2007 , Shortly after the Trojans ended their 2006 season with a win at the 2007 Rose Bowl , two - year starting placekicker Mario Danelo was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in San Pedro , California . Danelo had been expected to start during the 2007 season . For the 2007 season , USC players wore a # 19 sticker on their helmets in honor of Danelo ; in addition the Kennedy - Jones practice field had the number " 19 " sprayed onto its end zones and the Coliseum hung a banner above the player ' s tunnel with Danelo ' s name and also paid tribute to him on the goal - post pads . The Trojans lost their offensive coordinator , Lane Kiffin , on January 23 , 2007 , when he was hired to be the new head coach of the Oakland Raiders ; the 31 - year - old Kiffin became the youngest head coach in Raiders history , and the youngest head coach since the formation of the modern NFL . The following week , Pete Carroll named Steve Sarkisian as his team ' s new offensive coordinator . Sarkisian had interviewed with the Raiders for their vacant head coach position but withdrew from the process to stay at USC , where he had been the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach . Intra - conference controversy arose in March 2007 , when Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh was quoted as saying " < nowiki > [ Pete Carroll ] < / nowiki > ' s only got one more year , though . He ' ll be there one more year . That ' s what I ' ve heard . I heard it inside the staff . " Upon further questions , Harbaugh claimed he had heard it from staff at USC . At the Pac - 10 Conference media day ( July 26 , 2007 ) , Harbaugh praised the Trojans , stating " There is no question in my mind that USC is the best team in the country and may be the best team in the history of college football " ; the declaration , especially in light of his earlier comment , garnered more media attention . In early July , LSU coach Les Miles stirred inter - conference controversy when he publicly criticized USC ' s 2007 schedule in front of LSU boosters ; though the two schools had not played each other since 1984 , the LSU Tiger faithful maintained a strong grudge against the Trojans after they shared the national title in the controversial 2003 season . LSU and Michigan were ranked as the pre - season No . 2 team in various polls . Coincidentally , by week five of the 2007 season , there were questions as to whether USC ' s schedule was actually harder than LSU ' s , given their opponents ' early - season performances . Schedule . The 2007 Trojans schedule was ranked the 8th hardest in the country . Before the season , the road schedule was ranked as the 6th toughest . Within the Pac - 10 , the schedule ranked as the 2nd toughest . Game notes . Idaho . USC opened its season hosting the University of Idaho Vandals of the Western Athletic Conference , under first year coach Robb Akey . Trojans Defensive Coordinator Nick Holt had previously been the head coach of the Idaho Vandals for two seasons ( 2004 – 05 ) ; before that he was USC ' s linebackers coach from 2001 – 03 under Carroll ( Holt had been an assistant coach at Idaho for eight seasons , from 1990 to 1997 ) . The game was scheduled in 2005 , during Holt ' s tenure with the Vandals . After Holt ' s sudden resignation in early 2006 , Idaho tried to get out of the game to no avail ; the Vandals athletic program received $ 600 , 000 for their appearance in the game . The last time the Vandals played USC , in 1929 , they were in the same conference , the Pacific Coast Conference . During their time as conference rivals , USC dominated the Vandals , winning all seven games between 1922 and 1929 by a combined score of 215 – 20 . USC entered the 2007 contest as six - touchdown favorites . USC controlled the game , but did not exert the level of domination expected . After taking a 21 – 0 lead into the second quarter , the offense showed signs of sputtering ; the second teams took over for the 4th quarter . Booty completed 21 of 32 passes for 206 yards , threw for three touchdowns and one interception ; though he did not convert on a fourth down play in short yardage and was unable to find a rhythm . Primary receiver Patrick Turner was held out of the game to recover from a stinger received in the previous week ' s practice ; cornerback Josh Pinkard was also held out to recover from knee soreness . As a result , young receivers David Ausberry and Vidal Hazelton handled the primary wide receiver duties . The highlight of the Trojans offense was the running game , which rushed for 214 yards while Idaho was held to 98 . The role was run by committee : with the debut of redshirt freshman Stafon Johnson ( 64 yards in 12 carries , two touchdown runs ) , who scored the first touchdown of the game , as well as C . J . Gable ( 68 yards in eight carries , one touchdown reception ) , who made an impressive 33 - yard run , and fullback Stanley Havili who made several receptions , including one for a touchdown . The game marked the debut of USC true freshman running back Joe McKnight , who made a spectacular run in the third quarter that was likened to those of predecessor Reggie Bush . Kristofer O ' Dowd became the first true freshman to start at center for the Trojans due to an injury to Matt Spanos , earning positive reviews for his performance . Although the defense did not cause many turnovers and lost key linebacker Brian Cushing to an ankle sprain in the first quarter , it met enough expectations to remain ranked among the top defenses in the country . In honor of Trojans kicker Mario Danelo , who died just after the 2006 season , a special ceremony was held before the beginning of the game . Also , after scoring its first touchdown , USC intentionally lined up for the PAT without a kicker in tribute to their late teammate , taking a 5 - yard delay of game penalty before David Buehler came on the field to kick the extra point . The moment was chosen by ESPN as one of the Pac - 10 ' s Top 10 Moments Of BCS Era . Nebraska . After a bye week , the Trojans visited the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln , Nebraska . In the pre - season , the game was named as one of the candidates for the 10 most important games of 2007 . For the Huskers , the game was especially critical to their hopes of showing progress under 4th year head coach Bill Callahan . The game marked the first time a No . 1 - ranked team visited Lincoln since 1978 . Because of the game ' s significance , ESPN " College GameDay " chose it as the site of its weekly broadcast . Callahan had been criticized for his conservative play - calling during the 2006 game in Los Angeles ; instead of playing to win , it appeared the Huskers were playing to not get blown out by the then - favored Trojans . In that game the normally prolific West Coast offense of Nebraska , which had produced 541 yards a game , was corralled on the ground and attempted only 17 passes in a 28 – 10 Husker loss . For 2007 , Callahan pledged to play more aggressively , using running back Marlon Lucky and quarterback Sam Keller . Keller , the Huskers redshirt senior starting quarterback , was a 2006 transfer from Arizona State ; as a Sun Devil Keller started the first seven games of his 2005 junior season , throwing for 2 , 165 yards , before a disastrous game against USC where , after leading ASU to a 21 – 3 halftime lead , he and the offense fell apart on the way to a 38 – 28 loss where he was sacked five times and threw five interceptions . Due to NCAA transfer rules , Keller spent the 2006 season on the Huskers ' scout team . The Trojans stayed in nearby Omaha and practiced at a local high school ; Carroll took the rare step of closing practice to outsiders after a local radio station announced the location . The game marked the return of primary receiver Patrick Turner and running back Chauncey Washington from injury ; linebacker Brian Cushing , who injured his ankle early against Idaho , had not fully recovered but was allowed to suit - up as a reserve . Senior center Matt Spanos remained injured , and true freshman Kris O ' Dowd was called to start again . Veteran secondary member Josh Pinkard was lost for the season after his sore knee gave out during a bye week practice , resulting in a torn ACL requiring surgery . Anticipation for the game was high in Lincoln , fueling strong demand for tickets and accommodations ; the game brought celebrities including USC fans Will Ferrell ( also an alumnus ) and Keanu Reeves , Nebraska fans Larry the Cable Guy , Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas , Rush Limbaugh , and Ward Connerly ; past Husker Heisman - winner Mike Rozier , Trojans Heisman - winner Marcus Allen and star Trojans safety Ronnie Lott were also on hand for the game . The game fell on Pete Carroll ' s 56th birthday ; as a surprise , Carroll was treated to a recorded message by actor Kiefer Sutherland , star of his favorite television show , " 24 " . The morning recording of " College GameDay " attracted 13 , 293 fans , second to the all - time record of 15 , 808 set by Nebraska in 2001 . With 84 , 959 in attendance , Nebraska recorded its NCAA - record 284th consecutive home sellout dating back to 1962 . USC dominated the game 49 – 31 , in a game that was not as close as the final score indicated : the Trojans led 42 – 10 going into the fourth quarter ; Nebraska scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes during garbage time . The Trojans dominated on the ground , as they out - gained Nebraska 313 – 31 in rushing yards and averaged 8 . 2 yards per carry , the most ever against a Nebraska team . Stafon Johnson led USC running backs with a career - best 144 yards in 11 carries with one touchdown ; other major contributors were C . J . Gable ( 69 yards in four carries , including a 40 yard run ) , Washington ( 43 yards in 12 carries with two touchdowns ) , and another versatile performance by fullback Stanley Havili ( 52 rushing yards in two rushes with one touchdown , and three pass receptions for 22 yards with one touchdown ) . The Trojans passing game again did not find a rhythm , with several dropped passes , but the defense was able to frustrate the Husker offense for most of the game and cause two pivotal 3rd quarter interceptions . The Trojans did not escape injuries , as linebacker Clay Matthews , substituting for the recovering Brian Cushing , broke his thumb , causing Cushing to enter the game as his replacement . The Trojans also suffered two injuries on kick returns : fullback Alfred Rowe suffered a mild concussion , and there was a moment of worry when returner Vincent Joseph , after being tackled and fumbling the ball , lay on the turf for over 10 minutes before being removed by stretcher with a bruised larynx and a neck sprain , but no serious injuries . Linebacker Rey Maualuga was flagged during a field goal attempt for the rarely called penalty of " disconcerting " , which is given for " words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play " . After losing first place votes in the polls during the bye week , USC ' s performance regained six after their performance against the Huskers in a hostile environment . Receiving specific praise was the Trojans offensive line , as well as the continued poise and ability of freshman center O ' Dowd . Washington State . USC opened Pac - 10 conference play by hosting the Washington State Cougars . Entering the game , Trojans quarterback John David Booty and the receiver corp remained unproven after an uninspiring performance against Idaho and a run - dominated game against Nebraska . Hoping to take advantage , Washington State elected to go into the game using a man - to - man pass coverage to allow more focus on stopping the Trojans running game . The Cougars had given the then - No . 3 Trojans a scare in their 2006 meeting , with the game coming down to the final seconds . In the end , USC routed the Cougars 47 – 14 , with a primarily aerial attack . Booty reestablished his presence , completing 28 of 35 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns before leaving the game early in the fourth quarter . Tight end Fred Davis had a career night with nine receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns . Davis ' performance marked the most yards receiving ever in a game by a Trojans tight end . The Trojans ' first offensive drive set the tone with 13 plays , 83 yards and a touchdown on fourth down ; mostly coming from the air . Receivers Patrick Turner and Vidal Hazelton were able to find a groove and make plays after sputtering against Nebraska . In the rushing game , Chauncey Washington started and rushed for 84 of USC ' s 207 yards . Stafon Johnson , who led the Trojans ground game against Nebraska , had nine carries and finished with 48 yards . Joe McKnight also got his first extended work and gained 48 yards in seven carries . USC built a 27 – 7 halftime lead and then scored on its first three possessions in the second half . The Trojans defense kept the Cougars in check , putting pressure on quarterback Alex Brink and limiting Washington State to 64 yards rushing . Junior cornerback Cary Harris dislocated his right shoulder during the game and was replaced by Shareece Wright . Linebacker Brian Cushing reinjured the ankle he sprained in the opener against Idaho . Sixth - year senior running back Hershel Dennis played for the first time since the 2004 season during the fourth quarter , gaining 14 yards in four carries ; he had sat out the two previous seasons due to injury . The victory continued the Trojans ' domination of the series , 55 – 8 – 4 ; it also extended the record of top - ranked USC teams against the Cougars to 5 – 0 . The game marked the first time it had ever rained during a USC game in September ; as a result the attendance was 86 , 876 , the first time in 16 home games that the Trojans failed to draw at least 90 , 000 . USC extended its home winning streak to 35 games . Washington . The Trojans played their first Pac - 10 road game of the season , visiting the Washington Huskies under coach Tyrone Willingham , at Husky Stadium in Seattle , Washington . In 2006 , the unranked Huskies gave No . 3 USC a scare ; quarterback Isaiah Stanback led Washington to the USC 15 but the offense was unable to start a play before the final two seconds ticked off the clock , preserving a 26 – 20 USC victory . The Huskies entered the game 0 – 6 when facing a number - one ranked USC team . Going into the 2007 contest , Carroll expressed concern about containing the Huskies redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Locker , a dual - threat quarterback who led his team in passing and rushing . The Huskies announced prior to the game that they would be wearing throwback uniform s : instead of their standard purple and gold , the Huskies wore dark blue and gold jerseys with plain , gold helmets that were replicas of those worn by the 1960 team that beat No . 1 Minnesota in the Rose Bowl , still the only time Washington had beaten a top - ranked opponent . In a day where half of the week ' s top - 10 teams were defeated , USC escaped becoming the sixth in a messy , mistake - prone 27 – 24 victory in a wet , windy game in Seattle . Although USC had a 460 – 190 edge in total yards , their errors helped the Huskies significantly : They committed three turnovers and 16 penalties — their most in more than two seasons — for 161 yards , missed a field goal and had a punt blocked . A disappointed Pete Carroll noted " We just couldn ' t do more things wrong in the game < nowiki > [ . . . ] < / nowiki > I thought Washington was there for it . They were there to take it . All they needed was one more chance . " USC quarterback John David Booty completed 20 of 37 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown but had two interceptions , one of which was returned 54 yards for a touchdown tying the game at 14 – 14 in the second quarter . The Huskies gained momentum early in the fourth quarter when they came to within 24 – 17 and forced USC to punt ; however , on the return Terrell Thomas stripped the ball from Anthony Russo for a fumble and recovered the ball at the Huskies ' 43 yard line , setting up David Buehler ' s 33 - yard field goal with 3 : 01 remaining . The Huskies did not give up , blocked a USC punt with 1 : 15 left and scored on quarterback Jake Locker ' s one - yard run to pull to within three with 34 seconds left . On the ensuing onside kick , Thomas was able to recover the ball for USC , ending the game . Locker displayed the dual passing / running threat Carroll had expressed concern about , but also showed his youth with erratic passing , finishing 12 - for - 27 with 83 yards passing and one interception , plus another 50 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns . USC did have positive showings in the running game , with Stafon Johnson running for 122 yards and a touchdown and Chauncey Washington also adding 106 yards and a score . In the end , Carroll and the Trojans described the game as less a victory than an escape , a game where USC ' s raw athleticism took advantage of Washington ' s youth . The Trojans suffered numerous injuries during the game : starting freshman center Kristofer O ' Dowd hurt his kneecap and guard Chilo Rachal sprained his knee on the same play in the first quarter ; they were replaced by senior center Matt Spanos , who had just been cleared for play after tearing a triceps before the season , and reserve guard Alatini Malu . Starting cornerback Shareece Wright , in his first start after replacing the injured Cary Harris , sustained a pulled hamstring muscle and was replaced by Mozique McCurtis . Tailback Stafon Johnson suffered a foot injury and fellow tailback C . J . Gable dressed but did not play because of a groin injury suffered just before the trip to Washington . The game drew comparisons to USC ' s 33 – 31 loss to Oregon State the previous season . As a result of the close finish , USC lost the No . 1 ranking in the AP Poll , falling to No . 2 with 1 , 591 points and 32 first - place votes to LSU ' s 1 , 593 points and 33 first - place votes ; however , the Trojans remained No . 1 in the Coaches Poll , keeping a more substantial lead : 1 , 483 points and 45 first - place votes to LSU ' s 1 , 454 points and 14 first - place votes . Stanford . USC continued Pac - 10 play by hosting the struggling Stanford Cardinal , under first - year coach Jim Harbaugh . In a major upset , USC stumbled at home to the 41 point underdog , losing 24 – 23 . Harbaugh made headlines prior to the season by claiming 2007 would be Carroll ' s last year with USC before departing to the NFL , drawing a terse rebuke from Carroll ; Harbaugh later called the 2007 Trojans one of the best teams in history at the Pac - 10 Media Day , reiterating the position in the week before their game . However , there were no hard feelings between the coaches . The two kept in cordial phone contact and Carroll made light of Harbaugh ' s comments several times during the season . The Stanford starting quarterback , redshirt senior T . C . Ostrander , suffered a seizure on the afternoon of September 30 , one day after their game against Arizona State ; he was released from Stanford Hospital after a few hours , but as a precautionary measure he was held out of the game against USC . The starting quarterback position fell to Tavita Pritchard , a redshirt sophomore with three passes in his college career . Stanford was also without two other key starters : defensive lineman Ekom Udofia ( ankle ) and offensive lineman Allen Smith ( knee ) . On October 3 it was announced that USC running back C . J . Gable , who was averaging a team - best 11 yards a carry , would undergo season - ending abdominal surgery to correct a nagging sports hernia that had limited his ability since the previous season ; because he had only played in the first three games , he would seek a medical redshirt season . Gable ' s fellow running back , Stafon Johnson , was also held out of the game due to a foot bruise suffered the previous week . Stanford was the last team to beat USC at the Coliseum , doing so on September 29 , 2001 under Tyrone Willingham ( now the coach of Washington ) against then - first year coach Carroll . By game week , the line for the game favored the Trojans by 39 . 5 points , and reached 41 points by gametime . The loss ended multiple USC streaks , including a five - game win streak against Stanford and a 35 - game home winning streak , and it would begin a still - active ( 3 ) streak of losing to Stanford at home . For sportsbook s , the loss to a 41 - point underdog marked the biggest upset in their history . There were a few positive efforts for the Trojans : Tight end Fred Davis caught five passes for a career - best 152 yards , including a 63 - yard touchdown ; and nose tackle Sedrick Ellis had three sacks . However , there were many more errors and substandard performances : quarterback John David Booty , who broke a bone in the middle finger of his throwing hand in the first half , had four passes intercepted in the second half . The offensive line had been suffering since losing two starters in one play during the previous week ' s game at Washington , but the effect was severe against Stanford ; the offensive line gave up four sacks , one more than the Trojans had surrendered all season , and USC gained only 95 yards rushing . Key receiver Patrick Turner dropped several passes , the defense gave up 17 points in the fourth quarter and USC had an extra - point attempt blocked , a point which became a crucial difference . Like their previous game against Washington , USC out - gained Stanford by 224 yards ( 459 to 235 ) but made many crucial turnovers and penalties . In the press conference following the game , Coach Carroll summarized his concerns : " It ' s real clear that we have fallen out of line with our philosophy that has guided this program for years ; we ' re turning the ball over too much . " Opinions in the sports press ranged from proclaiming the end of the USC ' s era of dominance in college football to calling the loss a major , but not fatal set - back to any hopes for a Trojans run at the national championship . The Trojans fell to No . 10 in the AP Poll ; however , USC only fell to No . 7 in both the Coaches Poll and Harris Poll , both of which are the human components for determining who the BCS chooses for the National Championship Game . As a result , USC remained in outside title contention with upcoming games against consensus - No . 2 California and top - 10 Oregon . The upset landed the Trojans in ESPN . com ' s Bottom 10 . In an interview the following month , Carroll assessed the mistakes that led to the loss as his own : At the end of the regular season , " Sports Illustrated " chose Stanford ' s upset of USC as the second " Biggest Upset of 2007 " after Division I FCS Appalachian State ' s upset of No . 5 Michigan . Arizona . After the previous week ' s upset loss to Stanford , the Trojans hosted the Arizona Wildcats , led by head coach Mike Stoops , aiming to correct mistakes and demonstrate that they were still in contention for the Pac - 10 title and to remain an outside candidate for the national title game . Matters were complicated when it was announced that starting quarterback John David Booty would not start due to a broken middle finger on his throwing hand , suffered during the previous week ' s loss . As a result , redshirt sophomore Mark Sanchez made his first start for the Trojans ; previously he had only played during garbage time . The Trojans also remained without offensive linemen Chilo Rachal and Kris O ' Dowd , as well as leading rusher Stafon Johnson , who remained idle for a second week after bruising his left foot during the game against Washington . The Trojans entered the game a 21 - point favorite . The Trojans again showed inconsistency for most of the game before coming alive in the fourth quarter and pulling away to a 20 – 13 victory . USC started out well , going ahead 10 – 0 in the second quarter after running back Chauncey Washington ' s 18 - yard touchdown run and David Buehler ' s 27 - yard field goal . However , the offense began to sputter ; the Trojans amassed only 12 total yards in the second quarter and 50 in the third . Part of the offense ' s problems were turnovers ; Sanchez threw two interceptions in the second quarter , allowing Arizona to tie the game going into halftime . The Wildcats kicked another field goal early in the third quarter to go up 13 – 10 , raising speculation that USC was going to be upset for the second consecutive week . The momentum of the game quickly changed in the fourth quarter after freshman running back Joe McKnight , touted as the next great Trojans tailback but yet to meet expectations , made a 45 - yard punt return that Sanchez followed up on the next play with a 25 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Fred Davis . After a defensive stop , Arizona punter Keenyn Crier kicked an 83 - yard punt to the Trojans one - yard line . The Trojans pushed forward with fullback Stanley Havili before McKnight again made a big play , running 59 yards and setting up what would be a Trojans field goal . The USC defense then forced an Arizona turn - over on downs to preserve the victory . Sanchez recovered from his poor first half performance with a strong performance in the second , where he completed 11 of 15 passes for 74 yards and a touchdown while later making a key 10 - yard scramble on third and seven late in the fourth quarter . The injuries that had plagued USC throughout the season continued as All - American tackle Sam Baker left the game because of a hamstring strain and freshman guard Zack Heberer , already substituting for an injured Chilo Rachal , suffered a shoulder bruise . On the defense , linebacker Rey Maualuga suffered a hip injury and safety Kevin Ellison broke his nose . An uncommon number of injuries , especially along the offensive line , depleted reserve players and forced Trojans to reach out to the general student population in order to find students with previous lineman experience to help on the scout team ' s offensive line ; however , none were officially added to the roster . In light of the Trojans close victory , USC dropped in both major polls , falling to No . 13 in the AP Poll and No . 9 in the Coaches Poll , tied with previously No . 2 California , which had just lost an upset to Oregon State . The Trojans debuted at No . 14 in the season ' s first Bowl Championship Series standings , used to determine which two teams play in the BCS National Championship Game . Notre Dame . USC visited inter - sectional rival Notre Dame for their 79th annual game for possession of the Jeweled Shillelagh . Pre - season demand for tickets was among the highest in Notre Dame history as USC made its first visit back to Notre Dame Stadium since the notable 2005 " Bush Push " game ; demand remained high although , going into the season , the Fighting Irish were unranked . Notre Dame had the worst start to their season in program history , opening 0 – 5 ( the previous record was 0 – 3 ) and headed into their game with USC at 1 – 6 . With significant problems at most positions , Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis made several changes at quarterback : Starting the opener with sophomore Demetrius Jones , he chose to start heralded freshman Jimmy Clausen for games two through seven ; during which time Jones transferred from the program . After Clausen also showed trouble at the position , Weis elected to go with junior Evan Sharpley as the starter for the USC game ; Sharpley had backed up Brady Quinn the previous season . In response to controversy over the length of the grass in Notre Dame Stadium during the 2005 game , where USC kickoff returner Desmond Reed suffered torn right knee ligaments and nerve damage while trying to turn on the field , the Fighting Irish cut the grass significantly shorter . Notre Dame entered the game ranked last in total offense ( 190 . 9 yards a game ) and rushing ( 32 . 1 yards a game ) , and next to last in scoring ( 11 . 4 points ) ; their offensive line had given up 34 sacks . With starting quarterback John David Booty still recovering from a broken finger on his throwing hand , USC elected to start Mark Sanchez for the second straight week . On the Thursday night before the game , the Trojans charter flight experienced severe turbulence on approach to South Bend Regional Airport during a lightning storm ; their aircraft dropped and threw several passengers ( players , coaches and their spouses ) from their seats and hit their heads on the ceiling during an initial approach that was aborted before the plane circled and landed safely . Breaking with tradition , the Fighting Irish announced in June that they would be wearing their alternative green jerseys instead of blue against USC ; Weis noted that it was in honor of the 1977 Irish team that switched to green jerseys before defeating the Trojans en route to a national championship ( Weis was a student at Notre Dame at the time ) . Previously , the Irish did not let the public know when they would be wearing their green jerseys . The Trojans dominated the game , shutting out Notre Dame 38 – 0 , USC ' s largest margin of victory in the series . Quarterback Mark Sanchez made significant improvements over the previous week , completing 21 of 38 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions . There were several highlight plays : Tight end Fred Davis made a one - handed touchdown catch in the first quarter , wide receiver Vidal Hazelton made a 48 - yard touchdown run after evading several Irish defenders , and freshman running back Joe McKnight made a 51 - yard fourth quarter run for his first touchdown . The USC defense stifled the Irish offense : allowing only 165 yards to the Trojans ' 462 yards , making five sacks , and keeping the Irish from rushing for a first down until the fourth quarter . There were several special teams miscues : The Irish blocked a USC punt , the Trojans blocked a 40 - yard field goal attempt and the Irish had a fumbled punt return that was recovered by USC . The Trojans had several key players return from injuries and make significant contributions , including linebacker Brian Cushing and running back Stafon Johnson . After two weeks of moving down in the rankings , the Trojans moved up to No . 8 in the Coaches Poll , No . 9 in the AP Poll ( tied with Florida ) and No . 12 in the BCS standings . Oregon . With the Ducks as three - point favorites , the Trojans entered a Pac - 10 game as underdogs for the first time since November 17 , 2001 ; the game was the first between top - 10 teams in the 41 - year history of Oregon ' s Autzen Stadium . The match - up was framed as a battle between Oregon ' s highly productive offense and USC ' s defense . The Trojans were affected by the massive wildfires affecting Southern California that week ; air quality during outdoor practices in Los Angeles dropped significantly , and Trojans quarterback Mark Sanchez ' father , a fire captain with the Orange County Fire Authority , was on the front line fighting the blazes . With John David Booty still recovering from a broken finger , Sanchez was given the start for the third week in a row . The Trojans were also set to return from injury all - American offensive tackle Sam Baker and guard Chilo Rachal . Despite having won the previous three contests , the Trojans noted concerns about playing in the famously loud and raucous Autzen Stadium . Before a stadium - record crowd of 59 , 277 , the Ducks defeated the Trojans 24 – 17 in a game decided in the final seconds . The Trojans made key mistakes and did not exploit several opportunities against the Ducks . After Oregon fumbled the opening kickoff , USC failed to score with the Ducks stopping running back Joe McKnight on a fourth - and - one play at the Oregon 12 yard line . Later in the first quarter , an apparent 65 - yard touchdown run by McKnight was nullified by a holding penalty away from the play . The Trojans trailed 10 – 3 going into halftime , but tied the game in the third quarter on a Sanchez to Patrick Turner touchdown pass . However , on the next possession , fullback Stanley Havili fumbled the ball and Oregon recovered on the USC 16 yard line , leading to an Oregon touchdown . On USC ' s next series , Sanchez threw an interception . During the Trojans ' following series , Oregon safety Matthew Harper intercepted a pass and returned it 27 yards to the Oregon 42 . The Ducks took a 24 – 10 lead with 11 : 39 left as running back Jonathan Stewart scored his second touchdown . The Trojans rallied ; Sanchez led an 85 - yard , five - play drive that he capped with a 14 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver David Ausberry . The USC defense forced an Oregon three - and - out and starting at their 17 ; the Trojans then advanced to Oregon ' s 33 with 26 seconds left . However , on second down , Sanchez misread the defensive coverage and threw his second interception of the game to Harper with 11 seconds left in the game . After taking a knee to run out the clock on first down , USC used their final timeout to stop the clock . Unaware of the timeout , Oregon fans stormed the field before the game officially finished , and after being cleared away the Ducks took a second knee and ran out the clock , sealing the victory . The Trojans defense did slow down the Oregon offense , keeping them 212 yards below their season average , allowing the USC offense to out - gain the Ducks , 378 yards to 339 . The Ducks ' senior quarterback , Dennis Dixon , ran for 76 yards and a touchdown in 17 carries and completed 16 of 25 passes for 157 yards without an interception . However , the Oregon defense ultimately won the game for the Ducks . Sanchez threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns , but also had the two interceptions , including the game - ender . USC Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian ' s decisions on several key plays were called into question by fans in the week following the game . Eugene ' s newspaper , " The Register - Guard " , recorded the crowd noise at 127 . 2 decibel s , making it the loudest crowd for a college football game ; 1 . 2 decibels louder than the 126 decibels made by 77 , 381 Clemson fans during a game in 2005 . The game was viewed as marking Oregon ' s rise to a national title contender and a break in USC ' s dominance of the Pac - 10 conference . The game also marked the first season since 2002 that the Trojans were going into November no longer considered a national title contender . Despite losing the game , the Trojans were still regarded as a legitimate threat in the conference and were projected as a potential at - large team for the BCS bowl games . However , there were voices in the media that believed the loss signaled the " death " of the " Trojan Dynasty " that had reigned in college football since 2002 . The Trojans fell to No . 13 in the AP Poll , No . 15 in the Coaches Poll , and No . 19 in the BCS standings . Oregon State . USC celebrated homecoming by hosting the Oregon State Beavers , coached by Mike Riley . In 2006 , the unranked Beavers stunned the No . 3 Trojans in a 33 – 31 upset in Corvallis . The Beavers had not won at USC since 1960 . Oregon State entered the game with the nation ' s best rushing defense , allowing only 54 . 5 yards rushing a game and also recording a nation - leading 34 sacks . The Beaver defense ranked 13th nationally in total defense , surrendering 299 . 9 yards a game . Trojans quarterback John David Booty returned from injury to start ; offensive lineman Sam Baker remained out after re - injuring a hamstring against the Ducks . Oregon State star running back Yvenson Bernard was initially expected to play despite a sprained shoulder , but did not . Former USC linebacker Richard Wood , who was chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame , was honored at halftime . In a strong defensive performance , the Trojans defeated the Beavers 24 – 3 . The USC defense made nine sacks and intercepted a pass ; they limited Oregon State to 176 total yards and a field goal off a Trojans fumble in the USC red zone . True freshman Everson Griffen had 3½ sacks , safety Kevin Ellison added two , end Lawrence Jackson had 1½ and nose tackle Sedrick Ellis and linebacker Brian Cushing had one each ; cornerback Terrell Thomas made the interception . The Trojans offense had its second lowest total of the season , gaining 287 yards , but it rushed for 100 yards against the Beavers ' tight rush defense , led by Chauncey Washington who gained 60 yards in 12 carries . Booty , returning from injury , could not find his rhythm but still completed 19 of 33 passes for 157 yards without an interception ; the Trojans converted only five of 16 third downs . Both teams missed field goals in the first quarter , then exchanged field goals going into the second quarter . The Trojans then scored 21 unanswered points in less than eight minutes to close the half . Neither team scored in the second half . USC running back Stafon Johnson was allowed to play a few downs but was kept out for most of the game to allow his foot to heal fully . The Trojans rose slightly in the polls to No . 12 in the AP Poll , No . 15 in the Coaches Poll , and No . 17 in the BCS standings . The 2007 Holiday Bowl was mentioned as a possible destination for the Trojans . Holiday Bowl executive director Bruce Binkowski said they would be very interested in pitting the Trojans against the Texas Longhorns . The two teams last met in the 2006 Rose Bowl for the BCS National Championship . California . In the pre - season , the Trojans ' game against California was named as one of the candidates for the 10 most important games of 2007 ; the Trojans national title hopes hinged on proving themselves against a veteran team led by head coach Jeff Tedford in California Memorial Stadium . Prior to the season , Cal star receiver DeSean Jackson , an early Heisman Trophy candidate , called out USC cornerback Terrell Thomas in " ESPN The Magazine " , stating that he would best the cornerback who contributed to limiting him to two catches in the 2006 match - up . After USC ' s loss to Stanford , the game was still referred to as the Pac - 10 game of the year ; however , after Cal ' s mid - season losses to Oregon State and UCLA and USC ' s loss to Oregon , the game took on less importance . On a rain - soaked evening in Strawberry Canyon , the Trojans gained a 24 – 17 victory over the No . 24 Golden Bears behind a career - best effort by running back Chauncey Washington . After seeing his early success against the Cal defense , USC began handing the ball almost exclusively to Washington who ran for 220 yards on 29 rushes . Due to the rain and Washington ' s success on the ground , Booty only attempted 20 passes for 129 yards in 11 completions with one touchdown and no interceptions ; the Trojans offensive line did not give up a sack . USC returner Ronald Johnson returned four kicks for 102 yards , including one for 41 yards and another for 35 , giving USC favorable field position . Cal running back Justin Forsett had an effective night , running for 164 yards in 31 carries . However , the Trojans defense had another solid effort , holding Cal to 14 points below its scoring average and forcing quarterback Nate Longshore into two interceptions and a sack . Cal ' s one - time Heisman Trophy candidate , wide receiver DeSean Jackson , was limited to five receptions for 64 yards and was kept from returning any kicks . The game turned to the Trojans favor during the fourth quarter , when the Trojans put together a 10 play , 96 - yard drive behind Washington and capped by a three - yard touchdown run by Stafon Johnson . Cal received the ball back with 7 : 38 left , but the Trojans forced turnovers in the Bears ' subsequent two drives ; after Lawrence Jackson recovered a fumbled snap on the first drive , cornerback Terrell Thomas intercepted a Longshore pass at the USC 17 with 2 : 47 to play to seal the victory . As part of its Hall of Fame weekend , Cal wore throwback jerseys based on its 1975 team in honor of All - American quarterback Joe Roth ; it was the third team to wear throwback jerseys in their game against the Trojans . Linebacker Keith Rivers suffered a high ankle sprain . After the victory and the subsequent bye week , the Trojans again rose slightly in the polls to No . 11 in the AP Poll , No . 11 in the BCS standings , and No . 12 in the Coaches Poll . Arizona State . In the pre - season , the game against veteran head coach Dennis Erickson ' s first squad at ASU was identified as a potential trap game for the Trojans . With No . 2 Oregon ' s loss during the bye week , Arizona State rose to No . 9 in the polls and the top of the Pac - 10 standings while USC remained in contention for at least a share of the Pac - 10 title if they could win out . Scheduled for prime time television on Thanksgiving Day , it was the only major college game shown on the holiday evening time slot . It was Arizona State ' s first Thanksgiving Day game and USC ' s 20th , though its first since 1938 . The game attracted a number of celebrities , including former USC Heisman - winners Marcus Allen and Matt Leinart , who was joined by Arizona Cardinals teammate Larry Fitzgerald , Heisman - winner Gino Torretta , Bob Davie and Charles Barkley ; it also included a halftime performance by singer Little Richard . In honor of the holiday , the Sun Devils added a turkey leg to the end of Sparty ' s pitchfork painted at the center of the field . Eleven years removed from their last Rose Bowl berth , Arizona State had made a quick turn - around under Erickson , returning to national prominence with a 9 – 1 record . Using an NFL - style offense under junior quarterback Rudy Carpenter , the Sun Devils put extra pressure on their offensive line , allowing in 43 sacks , the most in the Pac - 10 Conference and second most in the nation . In order to relieve Carpenter , who had suffered injuries over the season in his throwing hand , Arizona State planned to also work in the running game behind Keegan Herring and Dimitri Nance . USC entered the game ranked first in the Pac - 10 and third nationally in defense , giving up 267 . 9 yards per game . The Sun Devils had trailed in every Pac - 10 conference game in the season up to that point . Behind a strong performance by John David Booty , the Trojans defeated the Sun Devils , 44 – 24 , in front of a sold - out Sun Devil Stadium . Under an even passing attack , Booty threw for 26 of 39 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions . He distributed the ball to eight different receivers , including four separate players for his touchdowns ; Booty also rushed for a touchdown . Tight end Fred Davis made five receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown . David Buehler kicked three field goals . The Trojans defense also had a strong game , making six sacks as the Sun Devils were shut down for most of the second half and held to only 16 yards rushing ; two of the Sun Devil ' s scores were from a 98 - yard kick return for a touchdown and a score off a blocked punt in the fourth quarter . Defensive end Lawrence Jackson made four of USC ' s sacks , the most by a USC player since 1989 , including one that split Carpenter ' s lip and caused him to throw his helmet towards the sideline in frustration ; Jackson also finished with a school - record 5½ tackles for losses . Ronald Johnson had another strong game on special teams , returning the opening kickoff 49 yards . Two days later Oregon lost to UCLA , leaving the Trojans in a tie for first place in the Pac - 10 standings with Arizona State ( winning the tiebreaker ) . USC ' s strong victory , along with several upsets during the week , led the Trojans to rise to No . 8 in the AP Poll , No . 8 in the BCS standings , and No . 9 in the Coaches Poll . UCLA . The Trojans ended the regular season by hosting the UCLA Bruins , led by head coach Karl Dorrell , in the 77th edition of their annual crosstown rivalry game for possession of the Victory Bell . In the 2006 season , the Bruins ' 13 – 9 upset of the then - No . 2 Trojans in the final week of the regular season ended the Trojans ' hopes for reaching the National Championship game . With both teams ranked going into the season ( USC first , UCLA 14th in the AP Poll ) , there was buzz in Los Angeles that both teams might reach their December 1 game undefeated . UCLA made it as high as 11th in both polls before suffering a 44 – 7 upset loss at unranked Utah in week 3 that knocked them out of the top 25 . It was the 36th time that a Rose Bowl berth was on the line for one of the two teams in the game : A USC victory would guarantee them at least a share of the Pac - 10 Conference title and a berth in the 2008 Rose Bowl Game ; UCLA , despite entering the game 6 – 5 ( 5 – 3 in the Pac - 10 ) , also entered the game with a chance at the Pac - 10 title and a Rose Bowl berth if they could defeat the Trojans and Arizona could beat Arizona State in a game later in the day . During the 2006 contest , UCLA Defensive Coordinator DeWayne Walker had the Bruins apply aggressive pressure to John David Booty , limiting the quarterback ' s ability to drive the passing game while holding the Trojans to 55 yards rushing and an average of only 1 . 9 yards per carry . USC entered the 2007 game averaging 186 . 6 yards rushing and 4 . 8 yards per carry , significantly higher than the 128 yards rushing per game in 2006 . UCLA ' s season was marked by numerous injures , particularly at quarterback . Original starting quarterback Ben Olson injured his knee early in the season and missed over four games . Backup quarterback Patrick Cowan also suffered a knee injury but returned for two more games before suffering a collapsed lung against Arizona . As a result , the Bruins had resorted to playing walk - on McLeod Bethel - Thompson and converted - wide receiver Osaar Rasshan . In the week leading up to the game , a dispute between USC and the Coliseum Commission , the public managers of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , went public . USC threatened to move to the Rose Bowl ( home of the UCLA Bruins since 1982 ) if an agreement could not be reached . In addition to honoring the outgoing seniors during their final game in the Coliseum , the Trojans also honored late players Drean Rucker and Mario Danelo , who would have both been members of the 2007 senior class . Rucker , a linebacker from Moreno Valley , drowned during the summer before his freshman year with USC ( and was honored during the 2004 season ) and Danelo died from a fatal fall immediately following the 2006 season ; members of both families attended . The stadium also held a moment of silence for the passing of Trojans alumnus and donor Louis Galen . USC entered the game as a 20 point favorite . The Trojans defense dominated the Bruins in a 24 – 7 victory before a sold - out Coliseum crowd . The Trojans held the Bruins to a season - low 168 yards , sacking quarterback Patrick Cowan four times for 31 yards in losses and held the Bruins to 12 net rushing yards . USC forced four turnovers , recovering three UCLA fumbles and intercepting a pass . The Bruins did not convert any of its 11 third down situations . The Bruins sole score came in a drive in the closing minutes of the first half . USC gained 231 rushing yards and 437 overall . On the ground , running back Joe McKnight rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown , Stafon Johnson ran for 73 yards and senior Chauncey Washington gained 66 yards and scored a touchdown . Booty completed 21 of 36 passes for 206 yards with a touchdown and an interception . The victory assured USC a share of the Pac - 10 title . Although Arizona State would defeat Arizona later in the night to become co - champions , the Trojans clinched a berth in the Rose Bowl by virtue of their victory over the Sun Devils the previous week . USC extended its unprecedented streak of Pac - 10 titles to six in a row , having already broken the record the previous season with five . Dorrell was fired by UCLA the following Monday . USC ' s victory , coupled with another week of upsets , led the Trojans to rise to No . 6 in the AP Poll , No . 6 in the Coaches Poll , and No . 7 in the BCS standings . Rose Bowl . The Trojans ended the 2007 season by participating in the 2008 Rose Bowl , held on New Year ' s Day in the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena , California ; it was the Trojans ' fourth Rose Bowl game and sixth BCS Bowl in six years . Although it traditionally hosts the champions of the Big Ten and Pac - 10 conferences , the 2007 Big Ten Champion , Ohio State , was ranked No . 1 in the final BCS poll and instead participated in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game . The rules governing BCS bowl selections allowed the Rose Bowl to select a BCS " at - large " team from the top 14 teams ranked in the BCS Standings that have at least nine wins . Keeping with its traditional bowl ties , the Rose Bowl selected the No . 13 - ranked Illinois Fighting Illini ( 9 – 3 ) , under third - year head coach Ron Zook . The Illini entered the Rose Bowl after a Cinderella season where they won nine games , including an upset victory over at - the - time No . 1 Ohio State , after winning a total of four games the previous two seasons . It was Illinois ' first bowl game since winning the 2001 Big Ten Championship and playing in the 2002 Sugar Bowl . The Illini offense was led by sophomore quarterback " Juice " Williams , who in the regular season passed for 13 touchdowns and ran for seven , junior running back Rashard Mendenhall , who averaged 127 yards rushing per game and scored 18 touchdowns , and freshman receiver Arrelious Benn , who caught 49 passes and had 158 yards in 32 carries . For taking Illinois to the Rose Bowl a year after going 2 – 10 , Zook won both national and Big Ten coach of the year honors . The Illini entered the game 13 . 5 point underdogs , the biggest of any of the season ' s 32 bowl games . It was USC ' s 31st appearance in " The Granddaddy of Them All " , having won in 22 of its previous appearances and leading in both categories by a significant margin . The Trojans routed the Illini 49 – 17 before a sold - out Rose Bowl crowd . USC set a Rose Bowl - record of 633 offensive yards and tied the record for points scored . John David Booty completed 25 of 37 passes for 255 yards , three touchdowns and one interception . Seven different Trojans rushed the ball , led by running back Joe McKnight who had 125 rushing yards and touchdown ( McKnight totaled 206 yards for the game ) . Tight end Fred Davis led the receivers with seven receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown . Mendenhall led the Illini , rushing 17 times for 155 yards and one touchdown , with 214 yards overall . Williams had 245 yards passing , completing 21 of 35 passes with two interceptions and was sacked five times . The second Trojans touchdown was a trick play thrown by walk - on receiver - quarterback Garrett Green , who caught a ball thrown backward by Booty and then threw a 34 - yard touchdown pass to running back Desmond Reed , who backflipped into the endzone , resulting in an excessive celebration penalty . The fourth quarter included a touchdown by sixth - year senior and one - time starter Hershel Dennis , his first score since 2004 , leading to a bench - clearing celebration that resulted in USC receiving another excessive celebration penalty . USC ' s 32 - point victory was the largest margin of victory in the Rose Bowl since 1984 , when UCLA defeated Illinois 45 – 9 . The lopsided score amplified existing criticism of the Tournament of Roses for scheduling the lower - ranked Fighting Illini as the at - large team . Booty was selected as the Rose Bowl Offensive MVP , and set a Rose Bowl record with seven career touchdowns . USC linebacker Rey Maualuga was selected as the Defensive MVP with three sacks , an interception and a forced fumble . It was USC ' s fifth victory in six consecutive appearances in a BCS Bowl . USC ended the season as No . 2 in the final Coaches ' Poll and No . 3 in the final AP Poll with one first - place vote . After the season . Comments . The 2007 USC Trojans entered the season picked as the unanimous No . 1 team , with expectations of playing in the BCS National Title Game . After the loss to 41 - point underdog Stanford the team ' s opportunities for national success came into serious question , and following the loss to Oregon there were questions as to whether USC would even win the Pacific - 10 Conference . The Trojans regrouped and salvaged their season , winning a share of the conference and the Rose Bowl , and by the end of the season were said to be playing the best football of anyone in the country . Injuries to key players , particularly quarterback John David Booty ' s broken finger during the Stanford game , had a significant impact over the season , leading to questions of how USC would have fared if injuries had not taken their toll . USC finished the season ranked No . 2 in the Coaches Poll and No . 3 in the AP Poll , trading the respective No . 3 and No . 2 spots with Georgia , another team that finished with a strong 11 – 2 record and a dominating performance in its BCS Bowl game . The teams finished close to each other in the final polls : In the Coaches Poll , USC received 1380 votes to Georgia ' s 1370 ; and in the AP Poll Georgia received 1515 to USC ' s 1500 . USC received one first - place vote in the final AP Poll . With LSU ' s dominating win over Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game , college football had its first two - loss national champion , and with teams like USC and Georgia locked out of playing LSU or Ohio State , the season served as another example for those advocating for some form of Football Bowl Subdivision playoff . The Trojans accomplished two unprecedented feats : USC became the first team to win six straight Pac - 10 titles and became the first team in major college football to achieve six straight 11 - win seasons . In addition , USC also remained tied for the most BCS Bowl appearances at six , all consecutive . Immediately after the 2007 – 08 bowl season , in early looks at the 2008 season , USC was ranked as the pre - season No . 4 ( " Sports Illustrated " ) and No . 5 ( ESPN . com ) due to key player departures mitigated by the overall talent level . " Sports Illustrated " soon revised its ranking to No . 3 after nearly all draft - eligible juniors decided to remain with the program instead of entering the NFL Draft . NFL Draft . Of all the Trojans ' draft - eligible juniors , only offensive guard Chilo Rachal declared himself available for the 2008 NFL Draft . Twelve USC players , eleven seniors and a junior , were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine , the most of any school in 2008 : the seniors were offensive tackle Sam Baker , quarterback John David Booty , tight end Fred Davis , nose tackle Sedrick Ellis , defensive end Lawrence Jackson , offensive tackle Drew Radovich , linebacker Keith Rivers , center Matt Spanos , cornerback Terrell Thomas , running back Chauncey Washington , linebacker Thomas Williams , and the junior was offensive guard Rachal . USC did well in the 2007 draft ; ten players were taken overall , the most of any school , and a school - record seven players were selected in the first two rounds , beating the previous record of five ( 1968 and 2006 ) and the most in the first round . The first round selections were Ellis ( seventh , New Orleans Saints ) , Rivers ( ninth , Cincinnati Bengals ) , Baker ( 21st , Atlanta Falcons ) and Jackson ( 28th , Seattle Seahawks ) ; the second round picks were Rachal ( 39th , San Francisco 49ers ) , Davis ( 48th , Washington Redskins ) and Thomas ( 63rd , New York Giants ) ; the fifth round selections were Booty ( 137th , Minnesota Vikings ) and Williams ( 155th , Jacksonville Jaguars ) ; in the seventh round Washington was selected 213th by the Jacksonville Jaguars . Radovich signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings ; Spanos signed with the Miami Dolphins . One year later , eleven more players were selected in the 2009 NFL Draft , again leading all universities in the number of players drafted into the NFL that season . The first round selections were Mark Sanchez ( fifth , New York Jets ) , Brian Cushing ( 15th , Houston Texans ) and Clay Matthews ( 26th , Green Bay Packers ) ; the second round picks were Rey Maualuga ( 38th , Cincinnati Bengals ) and Fili Moala ( 56th , Indianapolis Colts ) ; in the third round was Patrick Turner ( 87th , Miami Dolphins ) ; in the fourth round were Kaluka Maiava ( 104th , Cleveland Browns ) and Kyle Moore ( 117th , Tampa Bay Buccaneers ) ; in the fifth round was David Buehler ( 172nd , Dallas Cowboys ) ; and in the sixth round Cary Harris ( 183rd , Buffalo Bills ) and Kevin Ellison ( 189th , San Diego Chargers ) . During the 2010 NFL Draft , USC had seven more players from the 2007 team drafted into the NFL , though none in the first round . The second round picks were Taylor Mays ( 49th , San Francisco 49ers ) and Charles Brown ( 64th , New Orleans Saints ) ; in the third round were Damien Williams ( 77th , Tennessee Titans ) and Kevin Thomas ( 97th , Indianapolis Colts ) ; in the fourth round were Everson Griffen ( 100th , Minnesota Vikings ) and Joe McKnight ( 112th , New York Jets ) ; and in the sixth round Anthony McCoy ( 185th , Seattle Seahawks ) . At the 2011 NFL Draft , USC tied for the most players drafted from any university into the NFL that year with nine . Of those , six were on the 2007 team , though none of those particular players were in the first round . Shareece Wright was selected in the third round ( 89th , San Diego Chargers ) ; in the sixth round were Ronald Johnson ( 182nd , San Francisco 49ers ) and Allen Bradford ( 187th , Tampa Bay Buccaneers ) ; and in three consecutive picks in the seventh round were Stanley Havili ( 240th , Philadelphia Eagles ) , David Ausberry ( 241st , Oakland Raiders ) and Malcolm Smith ( 242nd , Seattle Seahawks ) . Jordan Cameron , who had tried to transfer onto the team but forced to wait a year at a junior college before enrolling , was also drafted in the third round ( 102nd , Cleveland Browns ) . Finally , at the 2012 NFL Draft , Rhett Ellison was taken in the fourth round ( 128th , Minnesota Vikings ) . As of 2012 , 39 players from the 2007 USC Trojans football team were drafted into the NFL . Awards . Senior Fred Davis became the first Trojan to win the John Mackey Award , awarded to the nation ' s top tight end . Five Trojans were selected to the various 2007 College Football All - America Team s . In addition to Fred Davis , tackle Sam Baker earned his third - straight spot on an All - American team . On the defense , tackle Sedrick Ellis , linebacker Keith Rivers , and safety Taylor Mays all earned All - American honors . Ellis was named the Pacific - 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year by league coaches , and selected to the All - Conference first team defense along with defensive end Lawrence Jackson , linebackers Rivers and Rey Maualuga , and cornerback Kevin Ellison . The All - Conference first team offense included Davis , Baker , and offensive lineman Chilo Rachal . The Trojans had nine players invited to participate in the Senior Bowl in Mobile , Alabama : Baker , quarterback John David Booty , Davis , Ellis , Jackson , offensive linemen Drew Radovich , Rivers , cornerback Terrell Thomas and running back Chauncey Washington . All nine players were placed on the North team , which was coached by Lane Kiffin , who had coached for the Trojans between 2001 and 2006 before becoming the head coach of the Oakland Raiders . The nine players sent by USC were the second - most ever invited from one team in a single season , one less than the 10 players by Alabama in 1987 and tied with the nine players sent by Auburn in 1988 , though the earlier selection rules favored the two locally based schools .