2017. That was the last time USC won the Pac-12. In the years since, the Trojans have failed to hoist the trophy, falling short in mediocre sub-.500 seasons and heartbreaking championship losses. Regardless, with the Pac-12’s final curtain nearing, USC has one last shot at finishing atop the conference. 

But what’s stopped the Trojans from winning it for six years? 

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2018 — 5-7 

Coming off the program’s 37th Pac-12 Championship, USC football’s title defense was lackluster in a few ways. The season marked the Trojans’ first losing record in almost two decades. USC also dropped both conference rivalry games against Stanford (9-4, 6-3 Pac-12) and UCLA (3-9, 3-6), going 4-5 in conference play.

2019 — 8-5

Returning to a winning record, USC’s 2019 season improved over the previous one, with the team going 7-2 against Pac-12 opponents. USC avenged its losses to UCLA (4-8, 4-5 Pac-12) and Stanford (4-8, 3-6) and picked up victories over all conference opponents save for Washington (8-5, 4-5) and the eventual Pac-12 champion Oregon (12-2, 8-1).  The Trojans’ season display earned them a spot in the Holiday Bowl against Iowa (10-3, 6-3 Big 12), where they fell 49-24.

2020 — 5-1

Considering the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the 2020 college football season, it’s hard to use this season to argue against USC. The Pac-12 fell victim to a shortened season that saw teams playing only five to seven games, making USC’s 2020 record stand out compared to other years. Regardless, the Trojans made the most of their situation, making it to the Conference Championship but falling in a tight 31-24 loss to Oregon (4-3, 3-2 Pac-12). 

2021 — 4-8

The 2021 season marked the first time in 30 years that USC lost more than seven games. The Trojans’ 1-1 start saw the firing of sixth-year Head Coach Clay Helton after a 42-28 loss at home to Stanford (3-9, 2-7 Pac-12). The team’s replacement, Donte Williams, didn’t fare much better, going 3-7. That season, USC went 3-6 in conference play, again suffering a defeat to UCLA (8-4, 6-3). 

2022 — 11-3

With the arrival of former University of Oklahoma Head Coach Lincoln Riley and sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams, USC’s 2022 campaign thrust the Trojans back into the spotlight for arguably the first time since the Pete Carroll era. The year marked USC’s first 11-win season since 2017. 

William’s historic season and Riley’s revamped offense reinvigorated the program and brought the Heisman trophy back to USC for the first time since quarterback Matt Leinart in 2004. Despite all this, when the Trojans reached the Pac-12 championship, Utah (10-4, 7-2 Pac-12) blew them out 47-24 in the team’s second loss to the Utes that season. 

Looking through the years since 2017, ignoring analytics, USC’s championship drought can arguably be attributed to the program’s culture shift post-2010. 

Since 2008, USC has won the Pac-12 once and, undoubtedly, reached its pinnacle during 2002-2009. USC claimed eight straight Pac-12 championships and two national titles during that stretch.

Fortunately for today’s Trojans, the program looks to be heading back in that direction. Returning a winning culture to the program, the 2022 season paved the way for the team’s return to the college football spotlight. USC at one point returned to the Top 5 in the AP polls for the first time since the 2017 season. The team has been consistently pegged as a contender for the national title over the past season and a half.

As the Pac-12 farewell tour nears its conclusion, Oregon (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) and Washington (6-0, 3-0), among others, stand on the Trojans’ path to the title. But if this momentum continues, it’s safe to say USC (6-1, 4-0) will have a shot at claiming Pac-12 glory one last time.