The 1998 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) as a member of Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Paul Hackett, the Trojans compiled an overall record of 8-5 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the Pac-10, and outscored opponents 346 to 241. USC was invited to the Sun Bowl, where the Trojans lost to TCU. The team played home games at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. It was the Trojans' 75th anniversary playing at the Coliseum.
This was Hackett's only winning season and bowl appearance at USC. After three wins, including an opener against Purdue in the Pigskin Classic, USC was ranked as high as No. 18 in the AP poll, but lost two of its next three and dropped out of the rankings for the rest of the season. During halftime of the game against UCLA, 91-year-old USC "Super Fan" Giles Pellerin died while watching his 797th consecutive USC football game.
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.
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries vs Purdue
vs San Diego State
vs Oregon State
at No. 10 Florida State
vs Arizona State
vs California
at Washington State
at No. 12 Oregon
vs Washington
at Stanford
at No. 3 UCLA
vs No. 9 Notre Dame
Sun Bowl (vs TCU)
Personnel Coaching staff 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)
Roster
Awards All-Pac-10: OL Travis Claridge, DL Ennis Davis, LB Chris Claiborne, DB Daylon McCutcheon, DB Rashard Cook 2011 USC football media guide
References