| Year: | 1997 |
| Team: | USC Trojans |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Pacific-10 Conference |
| Short Conf: | Pac-10 |
| Record: | 6–5 |
| Conf Record: | 4–4 |
| Head Coach: | John Robinson |
| Hc Year: | 12th |
| Off Coach: | Hue Jackson |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Keith Burns |
| Dc Year: | 4th |
| Captain: | Jonathan Himebauch Brian Kelly |
The 1997 USC Trojans football team (variously "Trojans" or "USC") represented the University of Southern California during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, finishing with a 6–5 record and tied for fifth place in the Pacific-10 Conference with a 4–4 conference record; despite a qualifying record, the Trojans were not invited to a bowl game. The team was coached by John Robinson, in his second stint as head coach of the Trojans, and played their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
See also: American football rules and American football strategy.
USC entered the preseason with 75 players from its 1996 squad that went a disappointing 6–6; it returned starters at 14 positions, eight on offense and six on defense along with both the punter and placekicker. The Trojans had a top 10-ranked recruiting class with 18 high school players and two transfer players from junior college programs; 16 of the 20 incoming players were All-Americans at previous levels.[1] The Trojan running game, led by Delon Washington, hoped to improve a ground game that was ranked 90th in the nation; considered very disappointing at a school that had been known as "Tailback U".[2] USC brought in Hue Jackson as the new Offensive coordinator; Jackson had previously served as offensive coordinator for California under Steve Mariucci, who had been hired to coach the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.[1] [3]
See also: 1997 NCAA Division I-A football rankings.
USC opened its season hosting the #5-ranked Florida State University Seminoles of the Atlantic Coast Conference, under long-time coach Bobby Bowden, in the first ever game between the two programs.[4]
The Seminoles entered the game as a dominant force in college football, having finished in the top four of the final poll for 10 consecutive years behind teams famous for their speed and depth; the previous season the Seminoles went 11–1. The Trojans entered the season with a new quarterback, sophomore John Fox, after the graduation of veteran quarterback Brad Otton. The #23-ranked Trojans were a departure from Florida State's recent trend of season-opening opponents, which tended towards low-ranked teams in games played either at their home field or on a neutral field.[5] The Trojans hoped to reestablish their running game, which had been anemic the previous season; however the Seminoles had allowed an average of only 59 yards rushing in 1996.[2]
The Seminoles defeated the Trojans, 14–7, in a competitive, defense-oriented game. Florida State scored first: After recovering a fumble by USC Delon Washington at the USC 36, the Seminoles scored on a two-yard quarterback sneak with 2:10 left in the first quarter. The Trojans were able to respond in the second quarter, tying the score, 7–7, with 13:42 left in the half. The pivotal moment in the game came on a 97-yard Seminoles drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in the go-ahead score with 10:40 left in the game.[6] The drive was almost stopped when cornerback Brian Kelly dropped a near-interception about 11 yards from Florida State's end zone.[7] USC had two more drives, with the second reaching the Florida State 26-yard line before turning the ball over on downs.[6]
USC was pleased with the performance of Fox, who in his first start completed 18 of 32 passes for 159 yards with one interception that came on a fourth-down play. However, the running game did not produce, totaling 25 yards with starting tailback Washington going for only 16 yards in 18 carries. The defense performed well, led by sophomore linebacker Chris Claiborne who had eight tackles, including two sacks.[6] USC held the Seminoles to 89 yards rushing.[2] Kelly broke up four passes, made five tackles and had an interception that was wiped out by an offside penalty against USC.[8] Neither team did very well on third-down conversions; USC was 4 of 17, Florida State went 4 of 14.[7]
Despite losing the game, the Trojans' performance was seen as a positive sign that the team was approaching the season with a drive not present until the very end of the previous season.[9] USC remained ranked #23. Florida State would go on to an 11–1 record, winning the ACC conference and ending the season ranked #3 in the AP Poll.[10]
Opening Pac-10 Conference play, the USC hosted the Washington State Cougars under coach Mike Price. The Cougars arrived after a bye week; they defeated UCLA in their opening game, led by junior quarterback Ryan Leaf who passed for 381 yards and three touchdowns in a 37–34 victory.[8] USC entered the game favored by a touchdown, and with a 10-game winning streak against Washington State, since 1986, and a home winning streak stretching back to 1957. The game was framed as the Trojans opportunity to set the tone of their season: They didn't drop in the polls after a close loss to highly ranked Florida State; a win against Cougars would help them start rising in the polls; a loss would likely undo any good will left over in voters.[11] [12]