For more than 120 years, the University of Southern California Trojans have maintained a tradition of football excellence that has placed the team among the perennial elite in the collegiate ranks. Eleven national championships, 38 conference titles, 150 All-Americans, and seven Heisman Trophy winners all stand as testaments to the greatness of the Cardinal and Gold. This definitive reference chronicles the history of USC football from its first-ever game on November 14, 1888--a 16-0 victory over the Alliance Athletic Club--through 2012. Synopses of each season include game-by-game summaries, final records, ultimate poll rankings, and team leaders in major statistical categories. Biographies of head coaches and all-time USC greats, a roster of every player to don a Trojan uniform, a look at USC football traditions, and a catalog of honors received by both players and coaches through the years complete this essential encyclopedia for the Trojan faithful.

For more than 120 years, the University of Southern California Trojans have maintained a tradition of football excellence that has placed the team among the perennial elite in the collegiate ranks. Eleven national championships, 38 conference titles, 150 All-Americans, and seven Heisman Trophy winners all stand as testaments to the greatness of the Cardinal and Gold. This definitive reference chronicles the history of USC football from its first-ever game on November 14, 1888--a 16-0 victory over the Alliance Athletic Club--through 2012. Synopses of each season include game-by-game summaries, final records, ultimate poll rankings, and team leaders in major statistical categories. Biographies of head coaches and all-time USC greats, a roster of every player to don a Trojan uniform, a look at USC football traditions, and a catalog of honors received by both players and coaches through the years complete this essential encyclopedia for the Trojan faithful.

The USC Trojans football program has been one of the winningest and most recognizable college football teams to ever play the sport. There have been numerous moments in the history of the Trojans that have proven miraculous, from recruiting day to the gridiron and from the regular season to bowl games. In Miracle Moments in USC Trojans Football History, Dan Weber details the team’s greatest achievements, from their first BCS national championship victory of many in 1928 over the favored Stanford team, to its notable rivalries with Notre Dame and crosstown enemy UCLA, USC’s role in breaking the color barrier in college football, its legendary 1972 championship team, the famous O.J. Simpson 64-yard game-winning run over the top-ranked UCLA Bruins, the arrival of head coach Pete Carroll, the famous Bush Push, Jake Olson’s historic snap in 2017, and much more. In doing so, Weber highlights the key players and coaches and reveals the high level of excitement that comes with being a USC Trojans fan. Complete with full-color photos, this book makes the perfect gift for young and old fans of the USC Trojans football team alike!

From celebrated sports journalist Steve Delsohn comes the true story of University of Southern California football, told by those who know it best--the players, coaches, and everyone else who made USC football one of the most legendary programs in America. Over the years, USC has been surrounded by controversy, even as it won 11 national titles and produced six Heisman winners and numerous future NFL stars. This book will tell the story of the program at its best and worst, with a special focus on the past 40 years, starting with the "Tailback U" dynasty years of the 1970s--when the school won three championships in less than a decade--right up through the modern era in which iconic figures such as Pete Carroll and Reggie Bush had tremendous success and went on to NFL glory, but left tremendous controversy in their wake.

In this lively history of Southern California football, Steven Travers makes the case that under coach Pete Carroll (54-10), the Trojans have overtaken Notre Dame as the greatest ever collegiate tradition. USC has produced legendary gridiron coaches and stars. They have tied Notre Dame for the most national championships (11) and Heisman Trophy winners (seven); have the best bowl record, the most Rose Bowl victories, the most All-Americans, the most pro players, the most first round draft picks, the most number one draft picks, and more.

With two fingers extended like a peace sign waving in the air, we salute the cardinal and gold. But this is no peace sign; it's a "V" for victory! Much like a first round draft pick in the NFL, USC Trojans encompasses the hope, promise, and excitement through colorful, fact-filled storytelling that details the history, legacy, and prestige of the University of Southern California college football program. Fight on for ol' SC! Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.