10. USC's Long November. USC closed 2011 with a flourish, and began 2012 with such high expectations that even their head coach picked the Trojans as the best team in the country to open the season. Instead, they failed to beat a ranked opponent, dropped four of their last five games and became the first team since 1964 to begin the regular season ranked No. 1 and end it outside of the polls altogether. Out of seven FBS teams in the state of California, USC received fewer votes in the final Associated Press poll than all but one (Cal), finishing well behind San Diego State, San Jose State and Fresno State as well as the two in-state rivals that beat the Trojans in the regular season, Stanford and UCLA.
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USC closed 2011 with a flourish, and began 2012 with such high expectations that even their head coach picked the Trojans as the best team in the country to open the season. Instead, they failed to beat a ranked opponent, dropped four of their last five games and became the first team since 1964 to begin the regular season ranked No. 1 and end it outside of the polls altogether. Out of seven FBS teams in the state of California, USC received fewer votes in the final Associated Press poll than all but one (Cal), finishing well behind San Diego State, San Jose State and Fresno State as well as the two in-state rivals that beat the Trojans in the regular season, Stanford and UCLA.
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