BOWL HISTORY
USC has a remarkable record in bowl games. The Trojans have the nation’s sixth highest bowl winning percentage (.630) among the 93 schools that have made at least 10 bowl appearances (behind Marshall's .846, Utah's .810, San Jose State's .700 and Boise State’s and Wake Forest’s .667) (not including 1 USC win and 1 USC loss vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: .648). USC's 34 bowl victories is second behind Alabama's 39 for the most in the nation (not including 1 win for both teams vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 35 for USC, 40 for Alabama). Troy’s 52 bowl appearances are tied for fifth most with Tennessee, behind Alabama (67), Texas (54) and Georgia (54) and Nebraska (53) (not including 2 USC appearances and 1 Alabama appearance vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 54 for USC, 68 for Alabama). 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 34-20 (not including 1 win and 1 loss vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 35-20). 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 25-8 mark (.758) (not including 1 appearance and 1 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 34 Rose Bowls, 25-9, .735). That is 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 12 of its last 14 Rose Bowls (not including 1 appearance and 1 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 12 of its last 15). USC is the only team to win 3 consecutive Rose Bowls (2007- 08-09). USC twice played in 4 consecutive Rose Bowl games (1967 to 1970 and 2006 to 2009); Ohio State (1973 to 1976) is the only other team to have done so.
USC has also appeared in 13 other bowls--the Christmas Festival, Liberty Bowl, Bluebonnet Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Aloha Bowl, Florida Citrus Bowl, Sun (John Hancock) Bowl (3 times), Freedom Bowl (twice), Cotton Bowl (3 times), Las Vegas Bowl (3 times), Orange Bowl (twice), Emerald Bowl and Holiday Bowl (4 times).
USC made 5 BCS bowl appearances (2003 Orange, 2004 Rose, 2007 Rose, 2008 Rose, 2009 Rose)(not including 2 appearances--2005 Orange and 2006 Rose--vacated by NCAA penalty; original record: an unprecedented 7 consecutive BCS bowl appearances). USC's 5 overall BCS bowl trips tied for seventh most, behind Ohio State's 9, Oklahoma's 9, Florida State's 8, Florida's 7, Virginia Tech's 6 and Alabama's 6 (not including 2 appearances vacated by NCAA penalty; original record: 7 appearances, tied for fourth most; also, 1 Ohio State appearance vacated by NCAA penalty). USC's 5 BCS bowl victories tied with Ohio State for the most of any school (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 6 victories, tied with Ohio State for most; also, 1 Ohio State win vacated by NCAA penalty).
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(Based on total victories)
W | L | T | Pct. | |
Alabama | 40* | 26 | 3 | .601 |
USC | 36** | 20** | 0 | .643 |
Georgia | 31 | 21 | 3 | .591 |
Penn State | 29 | 18 | 2 | .612 |
Oklahoma | 29 | 22 | 1 | .567 |
Texas | 29 | 24 | 2 | .545 |
Tennessee | 28 | 24 | 0 | .538 |
Florida State | 27* | 16 | 2 | .622 |
Nebraska | 26 | 27 | 0 | .491 |
LSU | 26 | 23 | 1 | .530 |
Georgia Tech | 25 | 20 | 0 | .556 |
*Not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record: 41-26-3, .607 for Alabama, 26-16-2, .630 for Florida State)
**Not including 1 win and 1 loss vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record: 35-19, .648)
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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
2016--USC 52, Penn State 49
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)
2012--Georgia Tech 21, USC 7 (Sun Bowl)
2013--USC 45, Fresno State 20 (Las Vegas Bowl)
2014--USC 45, Nebraska 42 (Holiday Bowl)
2015--Wisconsin 23, USC 21 (Holiday Bowl)
2017--Ohio State 24, USC 7 (Cotton Bowl)
2019--Iowa 49, USC 24 (Holiday Bowl)
2022--Tulane 46, USC 45 (Cotton Bowl)
2023--USC 42, Louisville 28 (Holiday Bowl)
2024--USCÂ 35, Texas A&MÂ 31Â (Las Vegas Bowl)
**BCS Bowl Game
*Win later vacated due to NCAA penalty
*2005 win and 2006 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty