Traditions

    USC: America's Bowl Team

    USC has a remarkable record in bowl games. The Trojans have the nation’s third highest bowl winning percentage (.667) among the 79 schools that have made at least 10 bowl appearances (behind Utah's .765 and Miami of Ohio's .700 and tied with Boise State and Toledo). USC's 32 bowl victories is second behind Alabama's 34 for the most in the nation (both teams had 1 win later vacated due to NCAA penalty). Troy’s 48 bowl appearances are fourth most, behind only Alabama (59), Texas (50) and Tennessee (49) and tied with Nebraska (USC had 2 apperances and Alabama had 1 appearance later vacated due to NCAA penalty). USC once won 9 consecutive bowl games (the 1923-30-32-33-39-40-44-45 Rose Bowls and 1924 Christmas Festival); only Florida State has won more in a row (11).

    USC’s overall post-season record is 32-16 (1 win and 1 loss were later vacated due to NCAA penalty). The Trojans were a bowl participant each year they were eligible from 1972 to 1990.

    USC has appeared in an unprecedented 33 Rose Bowls, where it has a 24-9 mark (.718) (1 win and 1 loss were later vacated due to NCAA penalty). That’s not only the most Rose Bowl wins of any team, but also the most wins by a school in a single bowl. USC has won 11 of its last 14 Rose Bowls (1 win and 1 loss were later vacated due to NCAA penalty). USC is the only team to win 3 consecutive Rose Bowls (2007-08-09). USC has also appeared in 12 other bowls--the Christmas Festival, Liberty Bowl, Bluebonnet Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Aloha Bowl, Florida Citrus Bowl, Sun (John Hancock) Bowl (twice), Freedom Bowl (twice), Cotton Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Orange Bowl (twice) and Emerald Bowl.

    USC made an unprecedented 7 consecutive BCS bowl appearances (2003 Orange, 2004 Rose, 2005 Orange, 2006 Rose, 2007 Rose, 2008 Rose, 2009 Rose). USC's 7 overall BCS bowl trips are third most, behind Ohio State's 9 and Oklahoma's 8. USC's 6 BCS bowl victories are tied with Ohio State for the most of any school (1 win and 2 appearances were later vacated due to NCAA penalty).

    Nation’s Leading Bowl Teams
    (Based on total victories)
      W L T PCT.
    Alabama 34* 22 3 .602
    USC 32** 16** 0 .667
    Penn State 27 15 2 .636
    Oklahoma 27 17 1 .611
    Georgia 26 18 3 .585
    Texas 26 22 2 .540
    Tennessee 25 24 0 .510
    Florida State24*142.625
    Nebraska 24 24 0 .500
    *1 win later vacated due to NCAA penalty
    **1 win and 1 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty

    USC has appeared in an unprecedented 33 Rose Bowls, where it has a 24-9 mark (.718) (1 win was later vacated due to NCAA penalty). That's not only the most Rose Bowl wins of any team, but also the most wins by a school in a single bowl. USC has won 11 of its last 14 Rose Bowls (one win was later vacated due to NCAA penalty). USC is the only team to win 3 consecutive Rose Bowls (2007-08-09). USC has also appeared in 12 other bowls--the Christmas Festival, Liberty Bowl, Bluebonnet Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Aloha Bowl, Florida Citrus Bowl, Sun (John Hancock) Bowl (twice), Freedom Bowl (twice), Cotton Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Orange Bowl (twice) and Emerald Bowl.

    USC made an unprecedented 7 consecutive BCS bowl appearances (2003 Orange, 2004 Rose, 2005 Orange, 2006 Rose, 2007 Rose, 2008 Rose, 2009 Rose). USC's 7 overall BCS bowl trips are tied for second most with Oklahoma, behind Ohio State's 8. USC's 6 BCS bowl victories are the most of any school (1 win was later vacated due to NCAA penalty).

    Nation's Leading Bowl Teams
    (Based on total victories)

     WLTPCT.
    USC*32160.667
    Alabama*32223.588
    Penn State26 12 2.675
    Georgia2616 3.611
    Texas2522 2.531
    Tennessee25230.521
    Oklahoma25171.593
    *1 win later vacated due to NCAA penalty

    USC's Rose Bowl Record
    1923--USC 14, Penn State 3
    1930--USC 47, Pittsburgh 14
    1932--USC 21, Tulane 12
    1933--USC 35, Pittsburgh 0
    1939--USC 7, Duke 3
    1940--USC 14, Tennessee 0
    1944--USC 29, Washington 0
    1945--USC 25, Tennessee 0
    1946--Alabama 34, USC 14
    1948--Michigan 49, USC 0
    1953--USC 7, Wisconsin 0
    1955--Ohio State 20, USC 7
    1963--USC 42, Wisconsin 37
    1967--Purdue 14, USC 13
    1968--USC 14, Indiana 3
    1969--Ohio State 27, USC 16
    1970--USC 10, Michigan 3
    1973--USC 42, Ohio State 17
    1974--Ohio State 42, USC 21
    1975--USC 18, Ohio State 17
    1977--USC 14, Michigan 6
    1979--USC 17, Michigan 10
    1980--USC 17, Ohio State 16
    1985--USC 20, Ohio State 17
    1988--Michigan State 20, USC 17
    1989--Michigan 22, USC 14
    1990--USC 17, Michigan 10
    1996--USC 41, Northwestern 32
    **2004--USC 28, Michigan 14
    **2006--Texas 41, USC 38 (BCS Championship)
    **2007--USC 32, Michigan 18
    **2008--USC 49, Illinois 17
    **2009--USC 38, Penn State 24

    USC's Record in Other Bowls
    1924--USC 20, Missouri 7 (Christmas Festival)
    1975--USC 20, Texas A&M 0 (Liberty Bowl)
    1977--USC 47, Texas A&M 28 (Bluebonnet Bowl)
    1982--Penn State 26, USC 10 (Fiesta Bowl)
    1985--Alabama 24, USC 3 (Aloha Bowl)
    1987--Auburn 16, USC 7 (Florida Citrus Bowl)
    1990--Michigan State 17, USC 16 (John Hancock Bowl)
    1992--Fresno State 24, USC 7 (Freedom Bowl)
    1993--USC 28, Utah 21 (Freedom Bowl)
    1995--USC 55, Texas Tech 14 (Cotton Bowl)
    1998--TCU 28, USC 19 (Sun Bowl)
    2001--Utah 10, USC 6 (Las Vegas Bowl)
    **2003--USC 38, Iowa 17 (Orange Bowl)
    **2005--USC 55*, Oklahoma 19 (Orange Bowl, BCS Championship)
    2009--USC 24, Boston College 13 (Emerald Bowl) **BCS Bowl Game *Win later vacated due to NCAA penalty *2005 win and 2006 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty