Today in College Football History (Aug. 30): USC Blanks Auburn 23-0

A USC run of dominance that lasted through seven consecutive BCS berths, a two-year run atop the Associated Press poll and peaked via a national championship began in 2002. But the momentum the Trojans built with a split Pac-10 championship and Orange Bowl thrashing of Iowa was just the foundation.

USC opened the following season at Auburn, a Week 1 showdown of rather epic proportions. The Trojans were ranked No. 8 but were a relative wild card. After all, Pete Carroll was replacing a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback and No. 1 overall draft pick, Carson Palmer. The starting race between Matt Leinart and Matt Cassell wasn’t settled until August, and either would get his first genuine experience against an Auburn team primed for BCS contention.

It turned out it wasn’t the USC offense that need worry, but Auburn’s. The Tigers were held to 164 total yards. That’s not a typo: 164 *total* yards. The rush defense was particular frustrating for AU, holding the Tigers to a paltry 43 rushing despite lining up a pair of future top 10 draft picks in the backfield. All told, AU managed just 1.2 yards per rushing attempt. The Trojan defenses that would are vaunted as some of college football’s all-time greatest got their start in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Leinart led the offense with a touchdown and 194 yards passing. A name that should take most West Coasters back was at the forefront of the Trojan rushing attack: Hershel Dennis finished with 85 yards on 21 carries and scored a touchdown. There was a time when Dennis was the most highly touted back on a corps that included Reggie Bush, LenDale White and Chauncey Washington. His showing against Auburn’s defense is in retrospect a sad reminder of what could have been had injuries not sank his potential.

Despite its No. 6 ranking and homefield advantage, AU was shockingly overmatched. Marquee Pac-10 vs. SEC matchups are few and far between — might is this game be a contributing factor? An equally intriguing hypothetical we may never truly have an answer for is how much of an impact the Trojans’ rout of AU had on the next season’s Tigers being denied an Orange Bowl bid and/or split championship votes.