Sports Illustrated’s latest ranking of the 50 greatest college football players of all time put four USC stars on the list, with Reggie Bush leading the Trojans at No. 15.
That shouldn’t come as a shock for a program that has stacked up 11 national championships, eight Heisman Trophy winners, and more than 500 NFL Draft picks. USC’s place in the sport’s history is already secure, and this list only adds another reminder of how many all-time greats have worn cardinal and gold.
Bush’s spot was the highest among the Trojans. He played at USC from 2003-2005 and piled up 3,169 rushing yards with 25 touchdowns.
He also caught 95 passes for 1,301 yards and 13 scores, while contributing in the return game as well. Bush finished with three punt returns for touchdowns and one kick return for a touchdown.
He was a Consensus All-American in 2004 and 2005, won the 2005 Heisman Trophy, and helped USC capture national championships in 2003 and 2004. He later entered the 2006 NFL Draft and went No. 2 overall to the New Orleans Saints.
O.J. Simpson came next for USC on the list.
After starting at a community college in San Francisco, California, he played for the Trojans from 1967-1968 and delivered one of the most dominant two-year stretches in school history. Simpson rushed for 3,124 yards and 33 touchdowns, added 28 catches for 235 yards, and led the NCAA in rushing yards in both 1967 and 1968.
He won the 1968 Heisman Trophy and was part of USC’s 1967 national championship team. Simpson went No. 1 overall in the 1969 NFL Draft to the Buffalo Bills.
Matt Leinart also cracked the top 50 after quarterbacking USC from 2001-2005. He became the starter in 2003 and went on to throw for 10,693 yards with 99 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in 39 games.
USC won national titles in 2003 and 2004 during his run, and Leinart picked up plenty of individual hardware too: the 2004 Heisman Trophy, Consensus All-American honors in 2004, and First-team All-American recognition in 2005. He was selected No. 10 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Marcus Allen rounded out USC’s group on the list. His Trojan career ran from 1978-1981, and his numbers still jump off the page: 4,682 rushing yards, 45 rushing touchdowns, 79 receptions, 721 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns.
Allen broke through in 1980 and then turned in his best college season in 1981. He was a Second-team All-American in 1980, then won the Heisman Trophy and earned Unanimous All-American honors in 1981.
The Los Angeles Raiders took him No. 10 overall in the 1982 NFL Draft.
At the very top of Sports Illustrated’s ranking was Jim Brown, the Syracuse running back who played from 1954-1956 and starred on offense, defense, and special teams before going No. 6 overall to the Cleveland Browns in the 1957 NFL Draft.
In Other News...
Quentin Hale Just Sent USC Fans A Big Message About 2027
Quentin Hales commitment gave USC another important foothold in the 2027 recruiting race, and it fit the broader pattern the Trojans have been building in California. The four-star receiver from Corona Centennial joins a class that already has real momentum in-state, with USC holding pledges from five of the top ten prospects in California for the cycle.
Hales value for USC goes beyond his own talent, too, because he has already started working as a recruiter for the program. He has been pushing local standouts such as Malaki Davis and Hayden Koo to take a serious look at the Trojans, a sign that USC is not just landing elite California prospects but also getting them to help sell the vision to others. [Read more 🡒]
USC Commit Jace Cannon Is Starting To Look Like A Bigger Get
Jace Cannons USC pledge in the 2027 class looked like a solid early add when he committed as a tight end, but his stock has started to move in a way that makes the Trojans hold on him feel even more valuable. The Junipero Serra High School junior backed up the buzz with a productive season and the kind of athletic profile that keeps evaluators paying attention, which is why his recruiting momentum has only grown in recent weeks.
On3/Rivals rewarded that progress with a bump to four-star status, a sign that Cannon is no longer just a promising local commit but a prospect whose ceiling is drawing real national notice. USC still has a young tight end commit with room to develop, especially in the physical parts of the position, but the bigger question now is whether the Trojans can keep him in the fold as more programs take a closer look. [Read more 🡒]
USC Recruits Made A Bigger Statement Than Fans Expected At 7v7
The Battle at the Beach 7v7 at Edison High in Huntington Beach gave a packed group of Southern California programs a chance to show off, but the USC pipeline stood out in a way that went beyond the usual summer camp buzz. Among the 20 high schools in the mix, several top recruits and Trojans commits kept flashing the kind of versatility that makes 7v7 more than just a passing drill, with receivers, defensive backs and hybrid athletes all taking turns making their case.
Honor Faalave-Johnson, Quentin Hale and Jalen Flowers were especially hard to miss, each showing why USC has been so aggressive in this part of the recruiting map. The most intriguing part for the Trojans is how many of these players are not just winning one-on-one snaps, but impacting games in multiple spots on the field, which is exactly the sort of development that can turn a strong summer showing into something much bigger once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]