USC football: Trojans’ drop in AP poll is biggest of Pete Carroll era

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USC’s 16-13 upset loss at Washington put the Trojans in unfamiliar territory: Out of the top 10.

USC dropped nine spots, from third to 12th, in the Associated Press media poll. That’s the Trojans’ most precipitous fall during the Pete Carroll era.

In the past, USC rebounded from early season defeats and climbed back into contention for a Bowl Championship Series title-game berth.

But those Trojans teams did not fall as far.

Consider:

-- 2003: USC lost at California on Sept. 27 and fell from No. 3 to No. 10. The Trojans came back and finished No. 1 in the AP poll.

-- 2006: USC lost at Oregon State on Oct. 28 and dropped from No. 3 to No. 9.

-- 2007: USC lost to Stanford on Oct. 6 and fell from No. 2 to No. 10.

-- 2008: USC lost at Oregon State on Sept. 25 and dropped from No. 1 to No. 9.

-- Gary Klein