Every Monday, I appear on the weekly live Trojan Conquest show on The Voice of College Football with Mark Rogers – the voice of college football – and Trojanswire editor Matt Zemek. This week, we dive into the Pac-12’s all-time football rankings.
The rankings, based on a variety of metrics such as all-time winning percentage, bowl wins, conference championships, national championships and more, were heavily skewed in USC’s favor, as expected.
After discussing Trojan dominance, we move between Washington and UCLA for second place, before touching on recent trends in the conference.
Matt Zemek highlighted UCLA’s dominant teams under legendary Bruin coach Red Sanders. The Sanders Bruins teams were arguably some of the most successful in UCLA football history, winning three Pacific Coast Conference titles, a few Rose Bowl victories, and a national championship in 1954. Their overall record of 66–19–1 (.773) and a winning record against the Trojans (6-3) give him pride of place among all Bruin coaches, probably second only to the immortal John Wooden.
Tommy Prothro became head coach from 1965 to 1970, the Bruins achieved a remarkable 104-55-5 record and their miraculous comeback victory against Michigan State began the nickname “the plucky little Bruins,” when the Bruins Undersized, undersized players took down the Spartans in the 1966 Rose Bowl.
I added that much of the Bruins’ success on this list can be attributed to their longtime coach, Terry Donohue, who led the team from 1976 to 1995. Under Donahue, the Bruins won seven consecutive bowl games. He began the eight-game winning streak against the Trojans that spanned most of the 1990s and allowed him to retire with a winning record against the Men of Troy (10-9-1). His management took the Cross Town Rivalry to new heights, as both teams took possession of the Victory Bell in their most competitive race in the rivalry’s history.
The history of UCLA football has been marked by several dominant teams under the leadership of legendary coaches. One of those coaches was Red Sanders, whose Bruins teams achieved notable success. They won three Pacific Coast Conference titles, several Rose Bowl victories and a national championship in 1954. Sanders’ impressive overall record of 66-19-1 (.773) and a winning record against the rival Trojans (6-3) places him among the greatest Bruin coaches, second only to the legendary John Wooden.
Another notable coach was Tommy Prothro, who led the Bruins from 1965 to 1970. During his tenure, the Bruins achieved a remarkable record of 104-55-5, including a miracle comeback victory against the No. 1-ranked Michigan State Spartans, in Rose 1966. Bowl. This victory earned the Bruins the nickname “Gutty Little Bruins” due to their underdog status and smaller size compared to their opponents.
Terry Donahue’s long tenure as coach, from 1976 to 1995, also contributed significantly to the Bruins’ success. Under Donahue’s leadership, the Bruins won seven consecutive bowl games and began an eight-game winning streak against the Trojans that lasted throughout the 1990s. He retired with a winning record against the Men of Troy (10–9 -1). Donahue’s tenure also intensified the Cross Town rivalry, with both teams competing fiercely for the Victory Bell, making it one of the most competitive periods in the rivalry’s history.
Throughout history, the Washington Huskies have enjoyed remarkable success under the leadership of legendary coaches such as Gil Dobie, Don James and Chris Petersen. Coach Dobie achieved an incredible feat, remaining undefeated in his nine seasons with the Huskies, boasting a 58-0-3 record. The Huskies later surpassed that achievement by extending their undefeated streak to an astonishing 64 games, scoring 1,930 points and allowing just 118 to their opponents. Decades later, Don James, aka “Dawgfather,” led the Huskies to their only national championship in 1991 with one of the most formidable defenses in conference history. Most recently, Chris Petersen and Kalen Deboer guided Washington to the College Football Playoffs in 2016 and 2023, respectively.
Despite USC holding a significant lead in the overall standings, Mark noted that in the 21st century, they had only secured two more wins than Oregon. For more than a decade, the Trojans have faced challenges and other conference teams have filled the void in USC’s absence. Remarkably, Oregon did not have to deal with the flawed investigation and harsh sanctions imposed on USC, second only to the “death penalty” given to SMU in the 1980s. Despite these obstacles, USC maintained its dominance in the Pacific Pact. -12, leading the conference in wins for nearly the last quarter century.
For more in-depth discussion and analysis on the impact of Oregon, Utah, Stanford and several other teams on the Pac-12 Conference standings, check out the full program available at the link provided:
