USC Trojans football The USC Trojans football program , established in 1888 , represents the University of Southern California in college football . USC is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I FBS and the Pacific - 12 Conference ( Pac - 12 ) . The Trojans are a football powerhouse , and have been throughout NCAA history , claiming 11 national championships . As of 2013 , 480 Trojans have been taken in the NFL Draft , more than from any other university . History . 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 . USC faced its first collegiate opponent the following year in fall 1889 , playing St . Vincent ’ s College to a 40 – 0 victory . In 1893 , joined the Intercollegiate Football Association of Southern California ( the forerunner of the SCIAC ) , which was composed of USC , Occidental College , Throop Polytechnic Institute ( Cal Tech ) , and Chaffey College . Pomona College was invited to enter , but declined to do so . An invitation was also extended to Los Angeles High School . 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 soundly 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 he 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 . " 1920s – 1930s . After several decades of competition , USC first achieved national prominence under head coach " Gloomy " Gus Henderson in the early 1920s . Another milestone came under Henderson in 1922 , when USC joined the Pacific Coast Conference ( PCC ) , the forerunner of the modern Pac - 12 . 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 . From 1957 to 1959 , the Trojans were coached by Don Clark . The PCC eventually dissolved in 1959 , and USC joined the PCC ' s other three California schools and Washington in immediately forming a new conference , the Athletic Association of Western Universities , under a new charter . After absorbing all of the PCC ' s final members except for Idaho , the AAWU would change its name to the Pacific - 8 Conference in 1968 , the Pacific - 10 after the 1978 entry of Arizona and Arizona State , and the Pacific - 12 after the 2011 entry of Colorado and Utah . ( The Pac - 12 officially claims the PCC ' s history as its own , despite the change in charter . ) 1960s – 1970s . The program entered a new golden age upon the arrival of head coach John McKay ( 1960 – 1975 ) . During this period the Trojans produced two Heisman Trophy winners ( Mike Garrett and O . J . Simpson ) and won four national championships ( 1962 , 1967 , 1972 and 1974 ) . 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 another national championship in 1978 ( shared with Alabama ; ironically , USC defeated Alabama , 24 – 14 , that same season ) and two more players won the Heisman Trophy ( Charles White and Marcus Allen ) . 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 . The game , scheduled by Bryant , resulted in a dominating 42 - 21 win by the Trojans . More importantly , all six touchdowns scored by USC team were by black players , two by USC running back Sam " Bam " Cunningham , against an all - white Crimson Tide team . After the game , Bryant was able to persuade the university to allow black players to play , hastening the racial integration of football at Alabama and in the South . 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 , the winless streaks of 13 years ( 1983 – 1995 , including the 1994 17 – 17 tie ) to rival Notre Dame and 8 years ( 1991 – 1998 ) to crosstown rival UCLA were unacceptable to many 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 . 2000 – present . 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 . In 2001 , athletic director Mike Garrett 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 . Since then , his teams became highly successful , ranking among the top ten teams in the country , with the exception of 2009 in which the team lost four regular season games . 2002 . 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 Pro Style 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 Pac - 10 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 . 2003 . 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 . 2004 . In 2004 , USC was picked preseason # 1 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 - America n 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 previous 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 regular season undefeated and headed for the 2004 BCS Championship Game 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 the BCS National Championship Game by the score of 55 – 19 , making them the BCS Champions and earning the team the AP National Championship as well . In June 2010 , after a four - year investigation , the NCAA imposed sanctions against the Trojan football program for a " lack of institutional control , " including a public reprimand and censure , a two - year postseason ban , a loss of 30 scholarships over three years , and vacation of all wins in which Reggie 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 some NCAA football writers , < ref name = " Student / Athlete Behavior " > Bryant Gumbel , " Student / Athlete Behavior " , " Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel " , September 21 , 2010 . < / ref > 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 . ” Following the NCAA sanctions , BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock stated that a committee would decide whether to vacate USC ' s 2004 BCS Championship , but the final decision would be delayed until after the NCAA had heard USC ' s appeals against some of the sanctions . On July 20 , 2010 , incoming USC president Max Nikias stated that the school would remove jerseys and murals displayed in Bush ' s honor from its facilities , and would return the school ' s copy of Bush ' s Heisman Trophy . On September 14 , Bush announced that he would forfeit the Heisman and return his copy of the trophy . On May 26 , 2011 , the NCAA upheld all findings and penalties against USC in their infractions case on former players Reggie Bush and basketball player O . J . Mayo . The USC football team did not participate in the Pacific - 12 Football Championship Game ( although they held the best record in the South division ) or a bowl game during the 2011 – 12 season . The BCS announced June 6 , 2011 , that it had stripped USC of the 2004 title , but the Associated Press USC still recognizes USC as the 2004 AP National Champion . 2005 . The 2005 regular season witnessed a resuscitation of the rivalry with Notre Dame , after a last second play in which 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 a 66 – 19 USC defeat of cross - town rival UCLA . Running back Reggie Bush finished his stellar year by winning the Heisman Trophy ( later returned by USC and reclaimed by the Heisman Trophy Trust considering Bush accepted improper benefits while at USC and was ineligible during the 2005 season ) , while 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 enter the NFL draft . The regular season ended with two clear cut contenders facing off in the Rose Bowl to decide the national championship . Although USC and Texas were 12 – 0 entering the game , with USC the slight favorite , USC lost to Texas 41 – 38 . As with the 2004 season , later NCAA investigations into alleged improper benefits given to Reggie Bush altered the official record of the 2005 Trojan season . All twelve wins from the 2005 season were officially vacated . 2006 . For the 2006 football season , USC tried to rebuild its strength 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 wide - out Patrick Turner . Mark Sanchez , the highly touted QB of the recruiting class of 2005 ( Mission Viejo High School ) 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 recruits Stafon Johnson ( Dorsey High School in Los Angeles ) , C . J . Gable , Allen Bradford and Emmanuel Moody . USC had many experienced players as well , including linebacker Dallas Sartz and wide receiver Chris McFoy , who had already graduated with their bachelor ' s degrees and were pursuing master ' s degrees . 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 . On January 6 , 2007 , 6 days after the Rose Bowl Game , USC kicker Mario Danelo was found dead at the bottom of the White Point Cliff near Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro , California . 2007 . In July 2007 , ESPN . com named USC its # 1 team of the decade for the period between 1996 and 2006 , citing the Trojans ' renaissance and dominance under Coach Carroll . The 2007 Trojans were the presumptive # 1 pick before the season . 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 2008 Rose Bowl Game . 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 . The Trojans have also benefited from LA ' s lack of NFL teams ( with the LA Rams and Raiders having left in the early 1990s ) , combined with the Trojans 21st century success , leading them to sometimes be called LA ' s " de facto NFL team . " During Pete Carroll ' s first eight years as head coach , USC has lost only one game by more than seven points , a 27 – 16 loss at Notre Dame in his first season , until the second half of the 2009 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 ) . As of 2011 , USC is one of only three of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision ( formerly Division I - A ) teams to have never played a Football Championship Subdivision ( formerly Division I - AA ) team since the split of Division I football in 1978 . 2008 . After beating Penn State in the Rose Bowl , USC finished the season 12 – 1 , and ranked # 2 in the Coaches ' Poll and # 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 # 20 in the Coaches ' Poll and # 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 # 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 ) . 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 some 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 # 5 ranking . The Trojans were not eligible for post season play and did not participate in any Bowl game . When the final AP Football Poll was release USC dropped one spot to the # 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 both UCLA and Notre Dame . The team finished second in the Pac - 12 South standings and unranked in any poll . 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 when USC joined the PCC and grew into a national caliber team . A " Perfect Day " . A " Perfect Day " ( a phrase created by the school ' s football announcer Pete Arbogast ) to any USC fan is a USC win coupled with losses by Notre Dame and UCLA . The last " Perfect Day " occurred on November 26 , 2011 , when USC beat UCLA and Notre Dame lost to Stanford . There have been 35 " Perfect Days " since 1960 . The opposite of a Perfect Day occurred on November 17 , 2012 when UCLA defeated USC and Notre Dame defeated Wake Forest . Notre Dame . USC plays the University of Notre Dame each year for the Jeweled Shillelagh . 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 1943 – 45 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 . Notre Dame leads the series 44 – 34 . The game is often referred to as the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football . UCLA . USC ' s rivalry with UCLA is unusual in that they are one of a few pairs of Division I FBS programs that share a major city . Both are within the L . A . city limits , approximately apart . Until 1982 , 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 manner ) and many Southern California families are evenly divided between Trojan Cardinal and Bruin Blue . USC leads the all time series 46 – 29 – 7 ties . Stanford . Stanford is USC ' s oldest rival , 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 the two private universities with major football teams on the west coast , naturally drew the ire of one another . During the early 2000s , however , Stanford had not maintained their earlier success and the rivalry had faded to many USC fans . The rivalry was renewed with the arrival of Jim Harbaugh at Stanford in 2007 . Harbaugh defeated Carroll 2 – 1 in their three matchups with both victories occurring in the Coliseum . In the 2009 meeting , USC sustained their worst loss in 43 years and surrendered the most points to an opponent , a record that would stand for three seasons . The game led the " Los Angeles Times " to declare that Stanford was " at the top of the USC ' Must Kill ' list . " Stanford has defeated USC in 5 of the last 6 meetings , winning in 2007 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , and 2012 . California . The University of California , Berkeley has had a rivalry with USC since 1915 . The only team to ever lose more than 60 games to USC , Cal has not defeated USC since 2003 . In the mid - 2000s , Cal had moderate success against USC , with USC going 4 – 1 against Cal : USC lost in triple overtime to California in 2003 , USC won a close 2004 game 23 – 17 , the 2006 game decided the Pac - 10 ' s BCS berth , and USC winning 24 - 17 in a rainy 2007 contest . The rivalry regressed after 2007 , with the resumption of lopsided double - digit USC victories : in 2008 , USC shut down California ' s offense to just 3 points , with a 17 - 3 Trojan victory ; in 2009 , USC once again held Cal ' s offense to only 3 points , steamrolling to a 30 - 3 victory ; the 2010 game was lopsided from the beginning , by halftime USC had scored 42 , while Cal did not score at all , with this 42 - 0 halftime score tying the largest deficit at halftime in Cal ' s history , and USC controlled the rest of the game , winning 48 - 14 ; in 2011 , the Trojans defeated the Bears , 30 - 9 ; in 2012 , USC beat Cal 27 - 9 . The Trojans have now won the past 9 meetings . Traditions . Tailback U . " Tailback U " is a nickname that emerged during the regime of Hall of Fame college football coach John McKay ( ' 60 – ' 75 ) and continued by his former offensive coordinator and immediate successor , John Robinson ( ' 76 – ' 82 ) . Running plays of this era included Coach McKay ' s well - known " Student Body Right " play , which emphasized hard - nosed running in the pass - friendly Pacific - 10 Conference . McKay and Robinson produced a number of top - rated players at the tailback position , including four Heisman Trophy winners . Standouts included Mike Garrett , O . J . Simpson , Anthony Davis , Ricky Bell , Charles White , and Marcus Allen . Coach Pete Carroll ( ' 01 – ' 09 ) continued the trend in later years with current NFL players Reggie Bush , LenDale White and Justin Fargas . # 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 had , at times , refrained from assigning the number if he did not think any player was worthy of it . The linebacker 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 , Chris Claiborne , and Keith Rivers ; Seau , McGinest , Claiborne and Rivers were all top - 10 picks in the NFL Draft . Freshman Lamar Dawson is the most recent # 55 . The last non - linebacker to wear # 55 was offensive center John Katnik in 1989 . Fight On . A phrase commonly used by Trojan fans to greet one another or show support for the team , which is borrowed from the fight song of the same name ( i . e . , " " Fight On for ol ' S . C . / Our men Fight On to Victory . . . " " The two finger " V " salute for Victory is often given in accompaniment . The term came from a LA Times article in regard to a USC vs . Stanford track meet . Though USC lost by a considerable amount , LA Times writer Olin Bird wrote that USC " Fought on like Trojans " . Shortly after changing USC ' s team name from the " Fighting Methodists " to the " Trojans " in 1912 , " Fight On " was taken as its slogan amongst fans . Facilities . Los Angeles Memorial 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 . 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 , the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960 of the AFL , 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 in Exposition Park , which also houses museums , gardens and the Los Angeles Sports Arena . It has also earned the nickname , " The Grand Old Lady " . Howard Jones Field / Brian Kennedy Field . The USC 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 for the popular long - time assistant coach Marv Goux - was erected at the entrance to the practice field . The John McKay Center at USC . Opened in 2012 , the $ 70 Million , 110 , 000 - square - foot athletic and academic center named after legendary football coach John McKay is home to the USC Trojan Football Department . The building houses meeting rooms , coaches ’ offices and a locker room for the football program , as well as the Stevens Academic Center ( including space for tutoring , counseling , study and computer rooms for student - athletes ) , a weight room , an athletic training room and a state - of - the - art digital media production facility for all of USC ’ s 21 sports . The centerpiece of the McKay Center is the two - story video board in the Parker Hughes atrium , which can display six big screen televisions at once as well as promotional videos and graphics . The building has a 60 , 000 - square - foot basement includes weight room , athletic training room , locker rooms and players lounge , a 25 , 000 - square - foot ground floor with Student - Athlete Academic Services center , reception area and outdoor courtyard , and a 25 , 000 - square - foot second floor with football coaches ’ offices , football team meeting rooms , outdoor patio and a state - of - the - art video production facility . The John McKay Center is adjacent to Heritage Hall , the Galen Dining Center , and the Brian Kennedy and Howard Jones Fields Records and results . Results versus AP Top 10 opponents . USC ' s record against AP Top 10 opponents last 10 years Awards . Team awards . National titles . USC claims 11 national titles , including seven from the wire service AP Poll and / or Coaches ' Poll . Two of USC ' s championships , 1928 and 1939 , are based on the Dickinson System , a formula devised by a University of Illinois professor that awarded national championships between 1926 and 1940 . The Dickinson System is cited in the Official 2010 NCAA FBS Record Book as a legitimate national title selector . USC ' s claim is consistent with other FBS programs that won the Dickinson title . In 2004 , USC recognized the 1939 squad as one of their national championship teams . The 2004 team was forced to vacate the final two games of its season , including the 2005 Orange Bowl due to NCAA sanctions incurred as a result of loss of institutional control , and namely , in connection with Reggie Bush . USC appealed the sanctions , delaying consideration of vacating USC ' s 2004 championship by the BCS . Ultimately , USC lost the appeals and forfeited the 2004 BCS championship . The AP has stated that it will not vacate its 2004 championship awarded to USC , and hence the Trojans retain a share of the national title . Here are the years USC recognizes a national championship : USC teams have also been selected as national champions in six other years ( 1929 , 1933 , 1976 , 1979 , 2002 , 2008 ) by various nationally published ratings systems or voters . 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 - 12 conference titles . The Trojans have suffered only three losing seasons since 1961 and have captured 38 Pac - 12 / Pac - 10 / PCC titles including 7 seven consecutive shared / outright Pac - 10 titles from 2002 - 2008 . This gives them the 4th most conference championships of any NCAA school , and twice as many as any other Pac - 12 member team . Bowl games . The Trojans have played in 47 bowl game s , a total that trails Alabama ' s 58 bowl appearances , Texas ' s 50 bowl appearances , Tennessee ' s 49 bowl appearances , and Nebraska ' s 48 bowl appearances . USC has the highest winning percentage in bowl games — 66 % — among teams with at least 15 bowl appearances . Finally , USC ' s 33 Rose Bowl appearances and 24 victories are the most of any school in a single bowl . Individual awards . Individual players have won numerous accolades with six officially recognized Heisman Trophy winners , 37 College Football Hall of Fame inductees , and 157 All - America ns . USC ' s first consensus All - American was offensive guard Brice Taylor in 1925 , who notably excelled despite missing his left hand , and who was one of USC ' s first black players . Heisman Trophy winners and retired numbers . Seven USC players have been awarded the Heisman Trophy . All of them ( with the exception of Reggie Bush ) have also their numbers retired by the Trojans . Bush ' s Heisman was forfeited in 2010 after an NCAA investigation ruled him ineligible to participate as a student - athlete during his Trophy season . Notes : All - century Trojan football team . Offense QB : Pat Haden , " 72 - 74 " FB : Leroy Holt , " 85 - 88 " RB : O . J . Simpson , " 67 - 68 " RB : Marcus Allen , " 78 - 81 " WR : Keyshawn Johnson , " 94 - 95 " WR : Lynn Swann , " 71 - 73 " TE : Charles Young , " 70 - 72 " OL : Ron Yary , " 65 - 67 " OL : Brad Budde , " 76 - 79 " OL : Tony Boselli , " 91 - 94 " OL : Ron Mix , " 57 - 59 " OL : Bruce Matthews , " 80 - 82 " 3rd WR : Johnnie Morton , " 90 - 93 " PK : Steve Jordan , " 81 - 84 " Defense DL : Tim Rossovich , " 65 - 67 " DL : Marlin McKeever , " 58 - 60 " DL : Mike McKeever , " 58 - 60 " DL : Aaron Rosenberg , " 31 - 33 " LB : Junior Seau , " 88 - 89 " LB : Richard Wood , " 72 - 74 " LB : Chris Claiborne , " 96 - 98 " DB : Ronnie Lott , " 77 - 80 " DB : Dennis Smith , " 77 - 80 " DB : Dennis Thurman , " 74 - 77 " DB : Mark Carrier , " 87 - 89 " P : Desmond Koch , " 51 - 53 " KR : Anthony Davis , " 72 - 74 " All - time USC football team . Offense WR : Lynn Swann " 71 - 73 " WR : Keyshawn Johnson " 92 - 95 " TE : Hal Bedsole " 61 - 63 " OL : Ron Yary " 65 - 67 " OL : Tay Brown " 30 - 32 " OL : Tony Boselli " 91 - 94 " OL : John Baker " 29 - 31 " OL : Brad Budde " 76 - 79 " OL : Anthony Munoz " 76 - 79 " OL : Bruce Matthews " 80 - 82 " QB : Pat Haden " 72 - 74 " RB : Mike Garrett " 63 - 65 " RB : O . J . Simpson " 67 - 68 " RB : Charles White " 76 - 79 " RB : Marcus Allen " 78 - 81 " PK : Quin Rodriguez " 87 - 90 " Defense DL : Ernie Smith " 30 - 32 " DL : Tim Ryan " 86 - 89 " DL : Harry Smith " 37 - 39 " DL : Aaron Rosenberg " 31 - 33 " LB : Chris Claiborne " 96 - 98 " LB : Richard Wood " 72 - 74 " LB : Jack Del Rio " 81 - 84 " LB : Junior Seau " 88 - 89 " DB : Ronnie Lott " 77 - 80 " DB : Morley Drury " 25 - 27 " DB : Mark Carrier " 87 - 89 " DB : Tim McDonald " 83 - 86 " P : Des Koch " 51 - 53 " Notable players . Trojans in the NFL . USC has had more players ( 473 ) , and more 1st round NFL Draft picks ( 75 ) than any other college . 162 Trojans have been selected to the NFL Pro Bowl , while a Trojan has played in all but two Super Bowl s . Media . Radio flagship : KSPN 710 - AM in Los Angeles < br > Spanish - language Radio flagship : KTNQ 1020 - AM in Glendale , California < br > Broadcasters : Pete Arbogast ( play - by - play ) , Paul McDonald ( analyst ) and John Jackson ( sideline reporter ) < br > Spanish - language Broadcasters : Pepe Mantilla ( play - by - play ) , Daniel Arreola ( analyst / play - by - play ) and Erika Garza ( analyst ) . < br > 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 station . Pete Arbogast , who has called Trojans football for 14 of the last 20 seasons , announced his sixth Rose Bowl game on January 1 , 2009 . Arbogast also called the Rose Bowl game for USC for the university ' s campus radio station , KSCR , in 1978 and 1979 < br > Public address announcer : Eric Smith