2003 - > 2006

Aresh Markazi, my favorite USC alum-sportswriter (how many are there?) pulls some knowledge from his school days in this article...I quoth:

"Carroll has often compared this year's team to the 2003 squad -- breaking in a new backfield that had lost the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and dealing with loss of more than 10 starters from the previous season -- and judging from the Trojans' recent surge in the BCS standings, the similarities don't stop with the players on the field. Consider this: When USC lost to unranked Cal on Sept. 27, 2003, the Trojans were ranked No. 3 in the polls and subsequently dropped to No. 10 behind seven undefeated teams. Within two weeks of the Trojans' loss to Cal, six teams above them lost, returning USC right back to where it was in the polls. During the course of the next nine weeks after the Trojans' loss, every team above them lost at least once, giving USC the No. 1 ranking by season's end."

By the way. I wonder if it is hard for someone to remain neutral after attending school in the news. I asked Kirk Herbstreet and his reply was "go Buckeys!"