What was the hardest, most difficult, USC loss for you to take ever?

I finally got over the Texas Rose Bowl game but it took a lot of damn years. Well, I won’t say I’m totally over it but at least it doesn’t keep me up at night anymore. Pete blowing the Super Bowl against New England sort of took over the top “Game from Hell” spot for me. With the Super Bowl on the line, and the ball inside the five, in what universe would you not give the ball to Marshawn Lynch?! By simply handing the damn ball to Beast Mode, Pete would have won back-to-back Super Bowls and thus secured his position as the greatest coach ever, at least in my eyes. But we all know how that turned out.

No, the recent lost to Alabama is the hardest, most difficult loss for me to take. What more motivation do you need than the entire off-season to get ready to play Alabama?! We prepared for that game like we were going to be playing Arizona! Alabama had actually been playing better football in the couple of years prior to the game against USC than they’ve since been playing. They’re always physical and looking for a fight. What did we think, they were going to play a finesse game?! We should have been dialed in for the game. When they started to roll on us, it was just the worst, sinking feeling! Will somebody please bring physicality back to USC football!

 

Texas, because of what could have been.

If only no Reggie lateral, no Matt pick in the end zone on a 1st down play, no Ting bro missing a relatively easy pick, no safety jamming the line and stopping LenDale for the only time the entire game...and an SC defense that was ranked 54th in total D that year that was just not up to the task of slowing down a dude who had one of the most phenomenal games ever, denying the Trojans their due.

Yes, that one still causes some trauma.

 

1. 2006 BCS National Championship vs Texas
2. 2007 vs Stanford
3. 2003 vs Cal
4. 2006 vs UCLA
5. 2009 vs Stanford/2016 vs Alabama

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

Mike Golic was asked that season who was the best team that year. Without hesitation he said “USC”
When asked why, Golic responded without hesitation “Best Defense I’ve ever seen”
Huge praise coming from a Domer.

 

I add Young's knee hit the ground and how could you not have the Heisman Trophy winner out on the field on 4th-and-1 even he's just a decoy.

 

I considered this one. but it did not make my top 3.

I wanted that win, but it was relatively easy to put into perspective for me. We had a spell there where Pete Carroll did not really seem to understand that College OT periods are very different than the regular game. Tedford put together some great teams and having Aaron Rodgers during that time period did not hurt.

 

EVERYBODY was stunned walking out of there. There was no way Stanford should have been a 41pt underdog, but Pete lost the game by not licking the FG at the half. And don't remind me about that Rose Bowl game.

 

Agreed

 

Easy-peasy: Notre Dame 1988.

 

Rose Bowl vs Texas.....a part of me died that night.

 

4 come to mind immediately. Texas game was gut wrenching.
Last year’s ND game. UGLY game in 1970. 1st time I saw the Trojans loose in the Coli. UCLA ran a reverse on the opening kickoff and it was downhill from there and embarrassing. 1980 UGLY game...Thank you Jeff Fisher.

 

Texas because of what should have been, and its importance.Notre Dame 51-0 for the humiliation.

 

Re at ND 2017, hated that game too. We haven't won in soggy South Bend since 2011 :(

 

Thanks guys for reminding me of that Texas heartbreak. After all these years - it still hurts. Followed by 13-9.

 

The loss to the BCS committee in 2004

 

Definitely the 2017 Men's Water Polo team missing out on their 10th National Championship with their third consecutive loss to ucla in the finals. Blech...

 

Yes, I forgot to list this one as one of my most difficult losses ever. That was the worst day in USC Football history possibly tied withl the '06 Rose Bowl. That day was horrible because of the untimely death of Marlin McKeever that day and that #58 ReyRey missed the bus and was suspended from playing the first half and we got too far behind to finish the comeback. Not even Beavers expected to win until late in the game but it sure was a house of horrors seeing those Halloween colors run that little dude [jackjizz] up the middle on us. A most unpleasant night in Corvalis.

 

I was in Iraq on my first tour when that game happened. It was a very gut wrenching feeling to watch my team lose in front of about 30 USC/West Coast sports hating Soldiers. Everybody in the recreation tent was clapping and cheering when Cal kicked the FG to win the game. I just walked out the recreation tent feeling like somebody had just banged my girlfriend and sent me the video. I would get to see USC redeem themselves later that season when they stomped on Michigan in the Rose Bowl to win the AP National Championship.

 

The "His Knee Was Down" Game in 2006, although I set my mind on coming back to LA for good right after, so it had some positive outcome for me.

CLLLLLOSE second was the '07 furd game because I had indeed moved back, and I had third row seats in the Thundering Herd right by the tunnel. Sherman scored at least one TD right there. That one stung a whole damn lot.