When you mention the Associated Press college football poll to USC fans, you will probably get at least a few people — older ones — who smile at the reference. Why? Simply recall the 2003 college football season.
The Associated Press poll elevated USC to number one.
“USC didn’t get to play LSU for the national title in the 2003 season, yes, but the Trojans did earn a split national championship when the Associated Press Poll crowned Pete Carroll’s team No. 1,” we wrote. “USC won the AP title, LSU the BCS title with its win over Oklahoma in the 2004 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
“The BCS was supposed to prevent split national titles. The BCS was supposed to prevent a Miami-Washington 1991 situation, or a 1990 Colorado-Georgia Tech tie. Yet, in 2003, it failed.
“USC was able to go to the Rose Bowl, win, and claim a legitimate national championship, much as it did 25 years before when it beat Michigan in the 1979 Rose Bowl and split the national title with Alabama, a different SEC team.”
With that AP poll recollection firmly in mind, we present to you the preseason and end-of-season poll rankings for every USC team since the start of this century. Enjoy!