The 1978 USC Trojans football team represented the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. Following the season, the Trojans were crowned national champions according to the Coaches Poll. While

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

claimed the AP Poll title because it had defeated top-ranked Penn State in the

Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed only ...

, the Trojans felt they deserved the title since they had defeated Alabama and Notre Dame during the regular season, and then

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

in the Rose Bowl. Both USC and Alabama ended their seasons with a single loss. This would be the last national championship won by the Trojans until

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

Schedule

Game summaries

Notre Dame

"Trojans' Late Field Goal Stymies Irish Comeback." Palm Beach Post. 1978 Nov 26.
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Rose Bowl

Roster

1978 Trojans in the NFL

All 22 starters played in the NFL. *

Marcus Allen Marcus LeMarr Allen (born March 26, 1960) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Raiders. Considered one of the greatest goal li ...

* Chip Banks * Lynn Cain * Rich Dimler * Ronnie Lott * Anthony Muñoz * Charles White * Brad Budde * Garry Cobb * Larry Braziel * Paul McDonald * Riki Gray * Ray Butler * Steve Busick * Keith Van Horne * Dennis Smith *Allen, Lott, and Muñoz are the only three starters on the team enshrined in the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

References

{{Pac-12 Conference football champions

USC USC may refer to: Education United States * Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Santurce, Puerto Rico * University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina ** University of South Carolina System, a state university system of South Carolina * ...

USC Trojans football seasons College football national champions Pac-12 Conference football champion seasons Rose Bowl champion seasons USC Trojans football