2003 USC Trojans football team

The 2003 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. They were named the Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) National Champions but were denied a spot in the BCS Championship Game due to controversy with the BCS selections for the national championship game.

The regular season ended with three one-loss teams in BCS contention: Oklahoma, LSU and USC. USC ended the regular season ranked #1 and LSU #2 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. USC lost one triple-overtime at California, which finished 8–6; LSU had a 12-point home loss against a Florida team that went 8–5; Oklahoma, which had been ranked #1 for most of the season, fell to #3 after suffering a 35–7 defeat in the 2003 Big 12 Championship Game to Kansas State, which finished 11–4. Controversy erupted when the BCS computers selected Oklahoma-LSU as the BCS title game; leading to protests from USC supporters. During the bowl games, USC had a convincing 28–14 win over #4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl while LSU beat Oklahoma 21–14 in the Sugar Bowl (designated the BCS title game). USC remained #1 in the final AP Poll and LSU was ranked, by contractual obligation, #1 in the final Coaches' Poll, though three coaches did not follow instructions and voted USC #1 in that poll as well.

Recruiting
With the late arrival of highly touted quarterback John David Booty, who left high school a year early to attend USC, the Trojan's 2003 recruiting class was considered by some to be the best in the country.

Its legacy included many NFL Draft picks over several years, including five first round picks.

2004 NFL Draft: 2005 NFL Draft: 2006 NFL Draft: 2007 NFL Draft: 2008 NFL Draft:
 * Will Poole (Round 4, Pick 102)
 * Mike Williams (Round 1,Pick 10)
 * Reggie Bush (Round 1, Pick 2)
 * LenDale White (Round 2, Pick 45),
 * Steve Smith (Round 2, Pick 51)
 * Eric Wright (Finished career at UNLV, Round 2, Pick 53)
 * Ryan Kalil (Round 2, Pick 59)
 * Sedrick Ellis (Round 1, Pick 7)
 * Sam Baker (Round 1, Pick 21)
 * Lawrence Jackson (Round 1, Pick 28)
 * Terrell Thomas (Round 2, Pick 63)
 * John David Booty (Round 5, Pick 137)
 * Thomas Williams (Round 5, Pick 155)
 * Chauncey Washington (Round 7, Pick 213)

Schedule
The Trojans finished the season with a 12–1 record, 7–1 in the Pac-10.

Auburn
USC opened the season visiting Auburn University: the Tigers were also ranked in the top-10 and had been named a pre-season favorite to be the national champion by at least one major news organization. In his first start, quarterback Matt Leinart led the Trojans on a domineering 23–0 performance.

2003 Team Players in the NFL

 * Marcell Allmond
 * Kevin Arbet
 * Collin Ashton
 * Sam Baker
 * Darnell Bing
 * John David Booty
 * William Buchanon
 * Reggie Bush
 * Dominique Byrd
 * Matt Cassel
 * Shaun Cody
 * Keary Colbert
 * Sedrick Ellis
 * Matt Grootegoed
 * Gregg Guenther
 * Alex Holmes
 * Ryan Kalil
 * Norm Katnik
 * Ryan Killeen
 * David Kirtman
 * Lawrence Jackson
 * Winston Justice
 * Jason Leach
 * Matt Leinart
 * Oscar Lua
 * Tom Malone
 * Fred Matua
 * Chris McFoy
 * Jason Mitchell
 * Mike Patterson
 * Will Poole
 * Drew Radovich
 * LaJuan Ramsey
 * Jacob Rogers
 * Frostee Rucker
 * Dallas Sartz
 * Steve Smith
 * Matt Spanos
 * Lofa Tatupu
 * Terrell Thomas
 * Kenechi Udeze
 * Lenny Vandermade
 * John Walker
 * Chauncey Washington
 * Lee Webb
 * LenDale White
 * Kyle Williams
 * Mike Williams
 * Thomas Williams
 * Eric Wright
 * Manuel Wright
 * Justin Wyatt