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The USC Trojans' loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish delivered the preseason No. 1 Trojans their fifth loss of the season, the most games a preseason No. 1 has lost since 1964, when the Ole Miss Rebels did the same.
Ole Miss and USC are the only two teams in Associated Press poll history to drop five games after attaining a preseason No. 1 rank. With one bowl game remaining, the 7-5 Trojans could become the only team to ever drop six games after grabbing that preseason No. 1; however, teams in past eras of college football did not play 13 games.
Three preseason No. 1 teams have finished with a one-game-above-.500 record in AP poll history.
In his postgame press conference, USC coach Lane Kiffin expressed his disappointment in what was expected to be a season where he and the Trojans would contend for a national title.
"I am disappointed too. I know those are not our standards here, regardless of the scholarship situation."