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After an incredibly rocky 1-3 start, a QB switch, a head coach headed towards unemployment and another certain disastrous year, Clay Helton and the USC Trojans rattled off 9 straight wins capped off by a thriller in the Rose Bowl. Now in the final Associated Press College Football Poll of the season the 10-3 Trojans have finished 3rd in the nation behind only the National Championship contenders Alabama Crimson Tide and National Champion Clemson Tigers.
Finishing right behind the Trojans were College Football Playoff participants the Washington Huskies. The Oklahoma Sooners were 5th. The Ohio State Buckeyes only dropped to 6th after their blowout loss in the playoffs. The Penn State Nittany Lions finished 7th in the nation.
Two other teams from the Pac-12 Conference made the final poll as well. The 10-3 Stanford Cardinal managed to move up to 12 and the Utah Utes at 9-4 finished at number 23. The Washington State Cougars also managed to receive one vote in the poll.
With a 9-game winning streak and a 3rd place finish in the final AP poll expectations for the USC Trojans next season will be very high for Sam Darnold and company.
The full poll is below:
1. Clemson Tigers
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
3. USC Trojans
4. Washington Huskies
5. Oklahoma Sooners
6. Ohio State Buckeyes
7. Penn State Nittany Lions
12. Stanford Cardinal
13. LSU Tigers
14. Florida Gators
18. West Virginia Mountaineers
20. Miami Hurricanes
23. Utah Utes
24. Auburn Tigers
Others receiving votes: Kansas St. 83, Georgia Tech 47, Nebraska 38, W. Kentucky 32, Air Force 30, Pittsburgh 21, Boise St. 19, Iowa 14, Minnesota 12, Tulsa 10, BYU 9, Temple 8, Houston 8, North Carolina 8, Navy 1, Washington St. 1.
#FightOn
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