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American college football season
The 1998 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season . In their first year under head coach Paul Hackett , the Trojans compiled an 8-5 record (5–3 against conference opponents), finished in a tie for third place in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10), and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 346 to 241.[ 1]
This was Hackett's only winning season and bowl appearance with the team. It was also the Trojans' 75th anniversary playing at the Coliseum.
After three wins, including an opener against Purdue in the Pigskin Classic , USC was ranked as high as 18 in the AP Poll , but lost two of its next three and dropped out of the rankings permanently.
During halftime of the game against UCLA , 91-year-old USC "Super Fan" Giles Pellerin died while watching his 797th consecutive USC football game.[ 2]
Quarterback Carson Palmer led the team in passing, completing 130 of 235 passes for 1,755 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions. Chad Morton led the team in rushing with 199 carries for 985 yards and six touchdowns. R. Jay Soward led the team in receiving yards with 44 catches for 679 yards and six touchdowns; Billy Miller also had 49 catches for 623 yards and six touchdowns.[ 3]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source 11:30 a.m. Purdue * ABC W 27–1756,623 September 12 7:30 p.m. San Diego State * No. 22 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA FSNW2 W 35–649,927 September 19 7:00 p.m. Oregon State No. 18 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA FSNW2 W 40–2045,629 September 26 12:30 p.m. at No. 10 Florida State * No. 18 ABC L 10–3079,815 [ 4] October 3 4:00 p.m. Arizona State No. 21 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA ABC W 35–2456,093 October 10 3:30 p.m. California No. 19 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA FSN L 31–3265,678 October 17 7:15 p.m. at Washington State FSN W 42–1431,178 October 24 3:30 p.m. at No. 12 Oregon FSN L 13–1745,807 October 31 12:30 p.m. Washington Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA ABC W 33–1062,276 November 7 3:30 p.m. at Stanford FSN W 34–943,250 November 21 12:30 p.m. at No. 3 UCLA ABC L 17–3488,080 November 28 5:00 p.m. No. 9 Notre Dame * Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry ) ABC W 10–090,069 11:00 a.m. vs. TCU * CBS L 19–2846,612 *Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Pacific time
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final AP RV 22 18 18 21 19 — — — — — RV — — — RV Coaches Poll RV 23 16 17 22 20 — — — — — RV — — RV — BCS Not released — — — 20 — — — Not released
1998 USC Trojans coaching staff
Name
Position
Year at USC
Alma mater (year)
Paul Hackett
Head coach
1st
UC Davis (1969)
Steve Greatwood
Offensive line
1st
Oregon (1981)
Hue Jackson
Offensive coordinator/running backs
2nd
Pacific (1987)
Ken O'Brien
Quarterbacks
1st
UC Davis (1983)
Ed Orgeron
Defensive line
1st
Northwestern State (1984)
Larry Petroff
Tight ends/recruiting coordinator
1st
Ashland College (1973)
Shawn Slocum
Linebackers
1st
Texas A&M (1987)
Dennis Thurman
Secondary
6th
USC (1978)
Mike Wilson
Wide receivers
2nd
Washington State (1981)
Bill Young
Defensive coordinator
1st
Oklahoma State (1967)
1
2
3
4
Total
Boilermakers
14
3
0
0
17
Trojans
7
3
7
10
27
1
2
3
4
Total
Aztecs
0
6
0
0
6
No. 22 Trojans
7
14
0
14
35
1
2
3
4
Total
Beavers
7
3
7
3
20
No. 18 Trojans
7
10
3
20
40
at No. 10 Florida State [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 18 Trojans
3
0
7
0
10
No. 10 Seminoles
3
10
7
10
30
1
2
3
4
Total
Sun Devils
7
10
7
0
24
No. 21 Trojans
0
7
6
22
35
1
2
3
4
Total
Golden Bears
7
3
8
14
32
No. 19 Trojans
7
17
7
0
31
at Washington State [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Trojans
7
14
14
7
42
Cougars
7
7
0
0
14
1
2
3
4
Total
Trojans
0
10
0
3
13
No. 12 Ducks
0
3
7
7
17
1
2
3
4
Total
Huskies
0
0
10
0
10
Trojans
7
7
0
19
33
1
2
3
4
Total
Trojans
10
7
3
14
34
Cardinal
7
0
0
2
9
1
2
3
4
Total
Trojans
3
7
7
0
17
No. 3 Bruins
14
13
0
7
34
vs No. 9 Notre Dame [ edit ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 9 Fighting Irish
0
0
0
0
0
Trojans
0
0
10
0
10
1
2
3
4
Total
Trojans
0
3
13
3
19
Horned Frogs
14
7
7
0
28
Venues Bowls and rivalries Culture and lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
