In their storied football history, the USC Trojans have had countless heroes. But they have also encountered quite a few villains.
In a recent story, ESPN’s college football writers decided on the greatest enemy for every power conference program. For USC, they had none other than the NCAA itself.
“The Trojans count both UCLA and Notre Dame among their most bitter rivals, yet there is no more fraught relationship than the one they have had with the NCAA,” Paolo Ugetti wrote. “Sixteen years later, the sting surrounding the way the NCAA punished Reggie Bush and USC following an investigation into Bush receiving what it deemed improper gifts is a lingering part of the identity of Trojans fans and, to an extent, the program as a whole. As the sport
has become as professionalized as it ever has been, the way Bush's missteps and the heavy punishment USC received (bowl ban and vacating wins, including a national title) look in comparison has only served to reinforce USC fans' belief that their team was unfairly punished.”
Personally I might have gone with Vince Young for the way that he broke the hearts of USC fans in the 2006 Rose Bowl. You could also make a strong case for quarterbacks Brett Hundley and Andrew Luck, both of whom played for a USC rival and went 3-0 against the Trojans. Ultimately, though, given the injustice that the NCAA hit USC with back in 2010, it is tough to argue too much with ESPN’s decision.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: ESPN has the NCAA as USC’s greatest all-time enemy
