The 2020 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and competed as members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They were led by fifth-year head coach Clay Helton.
On August 11, the Pac-12 Conference initially canceled all fall sports competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 24, the conference announced that a six-game conference-only season would begin on November 6, with the conference's championship game to be played on December 18. Teams not selected for the championship game would be seeded to play a seventh game.
USC compiled a 5âÂÂ0 regular season record, and qualified for the Pac-12 Championship Game, which they lost to Oregon. The following day, USC announced that it would not play in any bowl game, ending the season with an overall 5âÂÂ1 record.
The Trojans lost nine players to transfer.
The Trojans added 5 players via transfer.
USC returns 37 starters in 2020 including 15 on offense, 19 on defense, and 3 on special teams.
Key departures include Michael Pittman Jr. (WR â 13 games), Austin Jackson (OT â 13 games), Drew Richmond (OT â 12 games), Christian Rector (DE â 10 games), John Houston Jr. (ILB â 13 games)
Other departures include Jack Sears (QB â 1 game in 2018), Dominic Davis (WR â 9 games), and Jacob Daniel (OG â 6 games).
The official list of participants for the 2020 NFL Combine included USC football players Michael Pittman (WR) and Austin Jackson (OT).
In the 2020 Pac-12 preseason media poll.
True Freshman<br /> Double Position : *
/ / * Former Walk-on
â 85 scholarships permitted, 82 currently allotted to players
â 81 recruited players on scholarship (on former walk-ons)
â Transfer portal out : Palaie Gaoteote IV (ILB, -), Abdul-Malik McClain (OLB, Jackson State), Chase McGrath (K, -)
â COVID-19 Opt out to NFL : Jay Tufele (DL)
Scholarship Distribution 2020
USC had games scheduled against Alabama, New Mexico, and Notre Dame, but canceled these games on July 10 because the Pac-12 Conference decided to play a conference-only schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pac-12 opponents
<small>Key: POS: Position, SOLO: Solo Tackles, AST: Assisted Tackles, TOT: Total Tackles, TFL: Tackles-for-loss, SACK: Quarterback Sacks, INT: Interceptions, BU: Passes Broken Up, PD: Passes Defended, QBH: Quarterback Hits, FR: Fumbles Recovered, FF: Forced Fumbles, BLK: Kicks or Punts Blocked, SAF: Safeties, TD : Touchdown</small>