Pulling rank

Since the Associated Press’ first preseason college football poll in 1950, only four of the teams that were ranked first in a season’s first poll have finished with more losses than USC (7-3) already has:

1950; Notre Dame; 4-4-1

1961; Iowa; 5-4

1964; Mississippi; 5-5-1

1984; Auburn; 9-4

A look at USC’s plunge in the AP poll this season:

Poll; result; record; position

Preseason; --; 0-0; 1

Week 2; def. Hawaii, 49-10; 1-0; 2

Week 3; def. Syracuse, 42-29; 2-0; 2

Week 4; lost to Stanford, 21-14; 2-1; 13

Week 5; def. California, 27-9; 3-1; 13

Week 6; -- 3-1; 13

Week 7; def. Utah, 38-28; 4-1; 11

Week 8; def. Washington, 24-14; 5-1; 11

Week 9; def. Colorado, 50-6; 6-1; 10

Week 10; lost to Arizona, 39-36; 6-2; 18

Week 11; lost to Oregon, 62-51; 6-3; 21

Week 12; def. Arizona State, 38-17; 7-3; 21