Clay Helton, a 2016 Finalist for the Bryant Coach of the Year Award, Has 14 Starters Returning #TEAM125 from Troy’S 2016 Squad That Went 10-3 and Finished with a No
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11 National Championships 494 NFL Players 34 Bowl Victories 80 NFL 1st Round Draftees accolades 166 All-Americans 5 No. 1 Overall NFL Draft Picks 6 Heisman Trophy Winners 22 Academic All-Americans 2017 SCHEDULE (0-0) Release Date: Aug. 27, 2017 DATE OPPONENT TIME Sept. 2 W. Michigan 2:15 p.m. PT (P12N) Sept. 9 Stanford 5:30 p.m. PT (FOX) GAME 1 Sept. 16 Texas 5:30 p.m. PT (FOX) USC Sept. 23 at California TBA (0-0 overall, 0-0 Pac-12 South) Sept. 29 (Fr.) at Wash. St. 7:30 p.m. PT (ESPN) Oct. 7 Oregon St. TBA vs. Oct. 14 Utah TBA Western Michigan Oct. 21 at Notre Dame 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC) (0-0 overall, 0-0 Mid-American West) Oct. 28 at Arizona St. TBA Nov. 4 Arizona TBA Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, 2:15 p.m. PT, Los Angeles Coliseum Nov. 11 at Colorado TBA Nov. 18 UCLA TBA NO. 4 USC FOOTBALL HOSTS WESTERN MICHIGAN IN 2017 SEASON OPENER THEMES USCTROJANS.COM/FOOTBALL *The USC football team--the 125th in school history--begins its 2017 season ranked fourth in the nation and with high hopes when it hosts Western Michigan, college football’s wonder team of 2016. @USC_Athletics *It’s the start of a 3-game homestand for the Trojans. *This not only is USC’s first-ever meeting versus the Broncos, but against any current team from the Mid- American Conference. /USCTrojans *Troy is riding the wave of a 9-game winning streak (most recently the legendary last-second Rose Bowl victory over Penn State), as well as 9 straight home victories and 11 in a row in Greater L.A. *Historically, USC usually wins its opener following a victorious Rose Bowl. #FIGHTON *Head coach Clay Helton, a 2016 finalist for the Bryant Coach of the Year Award, has 14 starters returning #TEAM125 from Troy’s 2016 squad that went 10-3 and finished with a No. 3 ranking, including leading Heisman Trophy candidate QB Sam Darnold (3,086 passing yards, 67.2% completions, 31 TDs last fall). Other key offensive #ALLABOUTBALL returnees include TB Ronald Jones II (1,082 rushing yards, 12 TDs last season) and WR Deontay Burnett (13 #FAITHFAMILYFOOTBALL of his 56 receptions last fall came in the Rose Bowl with 3 scores, including the game-tying TD in the final minutes). Among the Trojans’ top defenders are ILB Cameron Smith (a 2016 Sophomore All-American with 161 career tackles; he must sit the first half versus WMU because of a Rose Bowl targeting penalty), CBIman TROJANS ON THE AIR Marshall (6 career interceptions), OLBs Porter Gustin (13 tackles for loss in 2016) and Uchenna Nwosu and Live national TV: 2:15 p.m. (PT), Pac-12 DL Rasheem Green (6 sacks in 2016). Some members of USC’s talented freshman class figure to make their Network, Roxy Bernstein, Anthony Herron, debuts on Saturday. Lewis Johnson. *Western Michigan had a magical 2016, winning its first 13 games before losing in the Cotton Bowl. Live local radio: 10:15 a.m. (PT), ESPNLA 710 Radio (KSPN-AM), Pete Arbogast, John Gone, however, are head coach P.J. Fleck, Bronco career passing leader QB Zach Terrell and consensus Jackson, Jordan Moore, Shaun Cody, Chris All-American/NFL first round WR Corey Davis, the NCAA career receiving yardage recordholder. Ex-WMU Fisher, Travis Rodgers, Dennis Thurman, star signalcaller Tim Lester is the new head coach, inheriting 15 returning starters (8 on defense). QB Jon Rachel Frain (includes 4-hour pre-game Wassink, Terrell’s successor, will see his first college action. WMU’s strong ground attack features RBs and 2-hour post-game shows). Also on Jarvion Franklin (3,639 career rushing yards, school record 41 rushing TDs), Jamauri Bogan (1,974 career USCTrojans.com and ESPNLA.com, on rush yards with 24 TDs) and LeVante Bellamy. All-MAC first team OT Chukwuma Okorafor anchors the line. SiriusXM satellite radio (channel 93/197, The Bronco defense is led by CB Darius Phillips, a 2016 All-MAC first teamer and the MAC Special Teams online channel 959) and on the TuneIn Radio Player of the Year who owns the league season/career marks for interception TDs, along with LB Robert app. Spillane (111 tackles in 2016), S Justin Tranquill, LBs Asantay Brown and Caleb Bailey and DE Eric Assoua. Trojans Live: 7-8 p.m. (PT), Mondays *The 2017 season marks the 50th anniversary of USC’s 1967 national championship season. (except Tuesdays Sept. 5/Oct. 3/Nov. *Traveler IX, the latest version of USC’s iconic white horse mascot, will make its debut. 20), ESPNLA 710 Radio (KSPN-AM), John *Also new this year will be a pair of videoboards at the east end of the Coliseum (replacing the old boards Jackson, Jordan Moore (live from The Lab atop the peristyle), restoring the peristyle to its original design. gastropub, 3500 Figueroa St., Los Angeles). *The game, which will feature a pre-game flyover and a visit by the AFCA national championship trophy, Fans also can hear “Trojans Live” on will be shown live nationally on Pac-12 Network. Facebook Live and the TuneIn Radio app. USC Trojan Talk: 7 p.m. (PT), Thursdays, KSHP-AM 1400, and 11 a.m. (PT), Saturdays, RANKINGS KMET-AM 1490, Harvey Hyde. USC is ranked fourth in both the AP sports media poll and the Amway coaches poll. Western Michigan is Trojan Football Report: 9:30 p.m. (PT), not ranked in either poll. Saturdays, KDWN-AM 720, Harvey Hyde. SERIES TICKETS This will be the first-ever meeting between USC and Western Michigan. Tickets for USC home football games are on sale online at USCTrojans.com/tickets or by FIRST MAC OPPONENT calling (213) 740-GOSC (4672). To reserve a *This will be USC’s first game against a current Mid-American Conference opponent. spot in a Coliseum Field Suite or in the Field *Once USC faces Western Michigan, the Trojans will have competed against a team from all 10 currently- Club, contact the USC Premium Department configured FBS conferences (Pac-12, American, ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain at [email protected]. West, SEC and Sun Belt), as well as independents Notre Dame, BYU and Army. *WMU, conversely, has never played a Pac-12 opponent. USC VS. OTHER MICHIGAN SCHOOLS USC is 6-4 all-time against Michigan and 4-4 against Michigan State. Troy has posted victories in the 2 most recent such meetings (over the Wolverines in the 2004 and 2007 Rose Bowls). 1 PAC-12 STANDINGS OPENERS *USC’s record in all season openers is 91-24-8 (.772), with 36 shutout victories. In season openers at PAC-12 OVERALL home, the Trojans are 63-16-7 (.773). (Does not include 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: W L W L 92-24-8, .774 overall.) SOUTH *USC’s record for home openers is 95-19-7 (.814). (Does not include 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; ARIZ 0 0 0 0 original record: 96-19-7, .816 at home.) ASU 0 0 0 0 IN COLISEUM COLO 0 0 0 0 USC has a 435-136-27 (.750) all-time record in the Coliseum since the stadium opened in 1923 (not including UTAH 0 0 0 0 6 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 441-136-27, .752). UCLA 0 0 0 0 USC 0 0 0 0 IN SEPTEMBER NORTH USC has a 177-48-8 (.777) all-time record while playing in the month of September (does not include 3 wins STAN 0 0 1 0 vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 180-48-8, .780). CAL 0 0 0 0 ORE 0 0 0 0 USC-WESTERN MICHIGAN CONNECTIONS WASH 0 0 0 0 *USC has no players on its roster from Michigan, while Western Michigan has no Californians. WSU 0 0 0 0 *USC special teams coordinator/tight ends coach John Baxter was an assistant at Michigan in 2015. OSU 0 0 0 1 *USC offensive quality control assistant Keary Colbert was a wide receiver with the Detroit Lions in 2008. *USC special teams quality control assistant Mike Tuiasosopo’s uncle is former Michigan State All- AP POLL COACHES POLL American fullback Bob Apisa. 1. Alabama 1. Alabama #TEAM125 2. Ohio State 2. Ohio State The 2017 Trojans are USC’s 125th football team. Troy has produced some of college football’s most legendary 3. Florida State 3. Florida State players, coaches, games and moments. There have been 11 national championships, 34 bowl victories, 166 4. USC 4. USC All-Americans, 6 Heisman Trophy winners, 43 College Football Hall of Famers, 22 Academic All-Americans, 5. Clemson 5. Clemson 494 NFL players and 15 Pro Football Hall of Famers. 6. Penn State 6. Penn State 7. Oklahoma 7. Washington WIN STREAKS 8. Washington 8. Oklahoma *Coming into the 2017 season, USC is riding a: 9. Wisconsin 9. Michigan --9-game overall winning streak, its longest since 12 straight in 2008-09 10. Oklahoma State 10. Wisconsin --9-game home winning streak, its longest since 12 straight in 2007-09 11. Michigan 11. Oklahoma State --11-game winning streak in the Greater Los Angeles area, its longest since 15 straight in 2007-09 12. Auburn 12. LSU 13. LSU 13. Auburn TRAVELER IX 14. Stanford 14. Stanford A new Traveler, the famous white horse that appears at all USC home football games with a Trojan warrior 15. Georgia 15.