2012 USC Trojans football team The 2012 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS college football season . The Trojans were led by third - year head coach Lane Kiffin , played their home games at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , and were members of the South Division of the Pacific - 12 Conference . USC returned 18 starters and 13 All - Conference performers from a team that finished the 2011 season ranked No . 6 in the AP Poll with a 10 – 2 record overall , and finished first in the South Division with a 7 – 2 record in Pac - 12 play . However , as part of a two - year - post - season ban mandated by the NCAA , the Trojans could not claim the 2011 Pac - 12 South Division title , participate in the conference championship game or play in a bowl game . The 2012 season was the first year under Kiffin that the Trojans were eligible for post - season play . They started the ranked # 1 in the AP poll , but finished unranked — the first team to do so since the 1964 Ole Miss Rebels . The Trojans finished the season 7 – 6 , 5 – 4 in Pac - 12 play to finish tied for second in the Pac - 12 South Division . They were invited to the Sun Bowl where they were defeated by Georgia Tech . Before the season . On December 22 , 2011 , All - American quarterback Matt Barkley announced that he would be returning to USC for his senior season to complete some " unfinished business " for the Trojans . Along with Barkley , who was a leading Heisman candidate , the Trojan offense returns nine starters , including 2011 All - Conference center Khaled Holmes , a thousand - yard rusher from 2011 in senior running back Curtis McNeal , and two thousand - yard receivers in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee . In addition , former Penn State running back Silas Redd transferred to USC and will be immediately eligible to play during the 2012 season . The addition of Redd means the USC offense now boasts two thousand - yard rushers , two thousand - year receivers , and a 3 , 500 - yard passer from the 2011 season . On defense , the Trojans return seven starters and four All - Conference players , including first - team All - Conference performers in safety T . J . McDonald and cornerback Nickell Robey , senior defensive end Wes Horton , and the team ' s co - leading tacklers in sophomore linebacker s Hayes Pullard and Dion Bailey , who was named the Pac - 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 . USC returns 18 starters and thirteen All - Conference performers in 2012 . The most significant loss on offense came with the early departure of left offensive tackle Matt Kalil , who was drafted No . 4 overall in the First Round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings . Kalil is expected to be succeeded at left offensive tackle by true sophomore Aundrey Walker . USC also graduated fullback Rhett Ellison , who was also drafted by the Vikings at No . 128 overall in the Fourth Round . Redshirt freshman Soma Vainuku is the leading contender to start at the fullback position . The most significant loss on defense came with the early departure of defensive end Nick Perry , who was drafted No . 28 overall in the First Round by the Green Bay Packers . Perry is expected to be replaced at Right Defensive End by senior Wes Horton . The Trojans also graduated defensive tackle s DaJohn Harris and Christian Tupou , who are expected to be replaced in the starting lineup by sophomore George Uko and redshirt freshman Antwaun Woods . On July 30 , starting Left Defensive End Devon Kennard underwent surgery for a torn pectoralis major muscle . Team doctors told him that it would take approximately four months to fully recover from the surgery , which would make him a redshirt candidate and allow him to return to USC for a fifth year in 2013 . Sophomore J . R . Tavai was moved to defensive end from nose tackle in fall camp , and will compete with redshirt freshman Greg Townsend to start at Left Defensive End . On July 31 , former Penn State Nittany Lions running back Silas Redd announced his intent to transfer to USC in the wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal . Redd will be immediately eligible to play at USC during the 2012 season due to sanctions imposed by the NCAA . On August 5 , Redd officially enrolled at USC . On August 24 , starting cornerback Isiah Wiley was declared academically ineligible by the NCAA . Sophomore Anthony Brown replaced Wiley in the starting lineup . USC has been 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 . Personnel . Returning starters . USC returns 18 starters in 2012 , including nine on offense , seven on defense , and both the starting kicker and punter . Key departures included offensive tackle Matt Kalil , fullback Rhett Ellison , running back Marc Tyler , defensive end Nick Perry , linebacker Chris Galippo , defensive tackle DaJohn Harris , and nose tackle Christian Tupou . Before the season , starting cornerback Isiah Wiley was declared academically ineligible , and starting left DE Devon Kennard suffered a pectoral injury that could force him to redshirt this season . Recruiting class . Prior to National Signing Day on February 1 , 2012 , one junior college player and two high school players that graduated early enrolled for the spring semester in order to participate in spring practice . These early enrollments included : defensive end Morgan Breslin from Diablo Valley Community College , linebacker Scott Starr from Norco High School , and offensive tackle Chad Wheeler from Santa Monica High School . Safety / cornerback Joshua Shaw , who started three games at free safety for Florida in 2011 , transferred to USC in the spring . USC ' s recruiting class was highlighted by six players from the " Rivals 100 " : No . 16 Zach Banner ( OT ) , No . 18 Nelson Agholor ( WR ) , No . 29 Jordan Simmons ( G ) , No . 40 Jabari Ruffin ( LB ) , No . 46 Max Tuerk ( OT ) , No . 53 Leonard Williams ( DE ) , and No . 82 Kevon Seymour ( CB ) . Despite being hampered by a 10 - scholarship reduction imposed by the NCAA , USC still signed the No . 8 recruiting class according to " Rivals . com " , the tenth - consecutive year that USC has had a class ranked in the Top 10 . Game notes . Hawaii . USC , ranked No . 1 in the AP Poll , defeated Hawaii , 49 – 10 . Matt Barkley kicked off his Heisman Trophy campaign with 372 yards passing and four touchdowns . Marqise Lee caught 10 passes for 197 yards , including a 75 - yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage , and returned a kickoff 100 yards for another score . Robert Woods added two touchdown catches . 1st quarter scoring : USC - Marqise Lee 75 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Andre Heidari Kick ) ; USC : Robert Woods 20 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Andre Heidari Kick ) ; USC : Hayes Pullard 27 Yd Interception Return ( Two - Point Pass Conversion Failed ) 2nd quarter scoring : USC : Silas Redd 31 Yd Run ( Two - Point Pass Conversion Failed ) ; USC : Robert Woods 2 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Two - Point Run Conversion Failed ) ; USC : Andre Heidari 28 Yd FG 3rd quarter scoring : HAW : Scott Harding 18 Yd Pass From Sean Schroeder ( Tyler Hadden Kick ) ; USC : Marqise Lee 100 Yd Kickoff Return ( Andre Heidari Kick ) ; HAW : Tyler Hadden 36 Yd FG 4th quarter scoring : USC : Randall Telfer 11 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Andre Heidari Kick ) Syracuse . The game was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford , New Jersey . Matt Barkley tied his own school record with six touchdown passes , Marqise Lee caught three touchdown passes , Robert Woods had two , and Xavier Grimble had one . Dion Bailey had two interceptions on defense . 1st quarter scoring : None 2nd quarter scoring : USC : Marqise Lee 13 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; USC - Robert Woods 29 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Ross Krautman 37 Yd FG 3rd quarter scoring : USC - Robert Woods 4 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Marcus Sales 3 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Ross Krautman Kick ) ; SYR - Prince - Tyson Gulley 8 Yd Run ( Two - Point Conversion Failed ) 4th quarter scoring : USC : Xavier Grimble 22 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; USC - Marqise Lee 4 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Marcus Sales 17 Yd Pass From Ryan Nassib ( Two - Point Conversion Failed ) ; USC - Marqise Lee 3 Yd Pass From Matt Barkley ( Alex Wood Kick ) ; SYR - Ryan Nassib 1 Yd Run ( Ross Krautman Kick ) Stanford . The Cardinal have won four of the last five meetings ( the Trojans won the 2008 game ) , with USC seeking to avenge close losses to the Stanford Cardinal over the last two seasons . In 2010 , Stanford defeated USC , 37 – 35 , on a last - second field goal that was made possible when the clock operator mistakenly stopped running the clock on Stanford ' s game - winning drive . In 2011 , Stanford defeated USC , 56 – 48 , in triple overtime when USC running back Curtis McNeal fumbled in the red zone . With the game tied , 34 – 34 , at the end of regulation , USC attempted to call a timeout in order to attempt a game - winning field goal , but time had run out 1st quarter scoring : USC - Silas Redd 1 - yard run ( Alex Wood kick ) ; STAN - Stanfan Taylor 59 - yard run ( J . Williamson kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : USC - Redd 1 - yard run ( Wood kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : STAN - Taylor 23 - yard pass from J . Nunes ( Williamson kick ) 4th quarter scoring : STAN - Z . Ertz 37 - yard pass from Nunes ( Williamson kick ) Stanford ' s running back Stepfan Taylor and defensive back Ben Gardner were named Pacific - 12 Conference Player - of - the - Week following this contest . California . The Trojans have won the past 8 meetings against the California Golden Bears . In 2011 , the Trojans defeated the Bears , 30 – 9 . 1st quarter scoring : USC - Silas Redd 33 - yard run ( Andre Heidari kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : CAL - Vincen D ' Amato 24 - yard field goal ; USC - Marqise Lee 11 - yard pass from Matt Barkley ( Heidari kick ) ; USC - Heidari 40 - yard field goal 3rd quarter scoring : CAL - D ' Amato 26 - yard field goal ; CAL - D ' Amato 35 - yard field goal 4th quarter scoring : USC - Heidari 41 - yard field goal ; USC - Lee 3 - yard pass from Barkley ( Heidari kick ) Utah . USC won the teams ' last meeting in 2011 , 23 - 14 . Washington . In 2011 , USC beat Washington by a score of 40 – 17 . USC came out strong in the 1st half with a 24 – 7 lead at halftime . The Trojans held off the Huskies 24 – 14 to win the game . Colorado . USC beat Colorado , 42 – 17 , in 2011 with Matt Barkley setting a school record with six touchdown passes . Both Matt Barkley and Robert Woods had record setting days as the Trojans cruised to a 50 – 6 victory . Arizona . USC has won the last 11 meetings against Arizona . Oregon . In 2011 , USC defeated the Oregon Ducks , 38 – 35 . 1st quarter scoring : ORE - De ' Anthony Thomas 16 - yard pass from Marcus Mariota ( Rob Beard Kick ) ; USC - Andre Heidari 39 - yard Field Goal ; ORE - Josh Huff 21 - yard pass from Mariota ( Beard Kick ) 2nd quarter scoring : ORE - Kenjon Barner 27 - yard run ( Beard kick ) ; USC - Marqise Lee 75 - yard pass from Matt Barkley ( Heidari kick ) ; ORE - Kenjon Barner 5 - yard run ( PAT blocked ) ; USC - Robert Woods 7 - yard pass from Barkley ( Heidari kick ) ; ORE - Daryle Hawkins 14 - yard pass from Mariota ( Beard kick ) ; USC - Nelson Agholor 76 - yard pass from Barkley ( Heidari kick ) 3rd quarter scoring : USC - Silas Redd 2 - yard run ( Heidari kick ) ; ORE - Kenjon Barner 9 - yard run ( Beard kick ) ; USC - Silas Redd 3 - yard run ( Heidari kick ) ; ORE - Josh Huff 36 - yard pass from Mariota ( Beard kick ) 4th quarter scoring : ORE - Kenjon Barner 5 - yard run ( Beard kick ) ; USC - Randall Telfer 3 - yard pass from Barkley ( Heidari kick ) ; ORE - Kenjon Barner 22 - yard run ( Beard kick ) ; USC - Lee 3 - yard pass from Barkley ( Two - point conversion failed ) Arizona State . USC seeks to avenge a loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils in 2011 . UCLA . The matchup was the first time since 2005 that UCLA and USC met as ranked teams . It was also the first time since 2001 that the Bruins entered the game ranked higher than the Trojans . 1st quarter scoring : UCLA – Brett Hundley 1 - yard run ( Ka ' i Fairbairn kick ) ; UCLA – Fairbairn 23 - yard field goal ; UCLA – Joseph Fauria 17 - yard pass from Hundley ( Fairbairn kick ) . 2nd quarter scoring : UCLA – Johnathan Franklin 16 - yard run ( Fairbairn kick ) ; USC – Nelson Agholor 33 - yard pass from Matt Barkley ( Andre Heidari kick ) ; USC – Randall Telfer 2 - yard pass from Barkley ( Heidari kick ) . 3rd quarter scoring : USC – George Uko 0 - yard fumble recovery ( Heidari kick failed ) ; UCLA – Hundley 3 - yard run ( Fairbairn kick ) . 4th quarter scoring : USC – Marqise Lee 14 - yard pass from Barkley ( Robert Woods pass from Barkley ) ; UCLA – Franklin 29 - yard run ( Fairbairn kick ) . Notre Dame . In 2011 , USC defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish , 31 – 17 . USC has won nine of the last ten meetings against Notre Dame . ESPN ' s " College GameDay " show was at the game . Georgia Tech ( Sun Bowl ) . Reports surfaced weeks after the game of a postgame altercation in the locker room which may have started over the younger players criticizing Matt Barkley for not playing in the game and his leadership in general , which led to several upperclassmen , including T . J . McDonald , coming to his defense . It was another incident that marked the close of a disappointing season for USC .