Who is the greatest USC football player of all time? Looking back at the Trojans' rich history

USC has witnessed some of the greatest college football players of all time play in its program. The Trojans' storied history and strong reputation have consistently attracted top high school talents who later became stars of the game.

While the Trojans have a long list of top players to have graced its roster in college football, O.J. Simpson is the best to have done it at the University. The running back’s giant strides in the two seasons he played at the program exuded greatness and was second to none.

Simpson had his college career at USC from 1967 to 1968. He had previously attended City College of San Francisco for two years before moving to play for the Trojans. He was able to etch his name in the book of greatness with his two seasons in Los Angeles.

O.J. Simpson's college career at USC

O.J. Simpson admired the USC football program right from a young age and dreamed of playing for the team. It came true in 1967 when he enrolled at the University after spending two years in a junior college in San Francisco, turning down the possibility of Utah.

Simpson played under coach John McKay with the Trojans. He immediately earned the starting role in the team and became a force in the offense. The running back led the nation in rushing yards in his first season with 1,415 yards and 11 touchdowns in 266 carries.

With his astonishing performance in the 1967 season, USC won the national championship and he ended as a runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting. He, however, won other notable awards while earning the Unanimous All-American honor as well as First-team All-Pac-8.

O.J. Simpson entered his final season with the Trojans in 1968 with a lot of anticipation following his performance in 1967. He lived up to the billing with another dominant and much better performance that season, cementing his name as an all-time great in the university.

He once again led the nation in rushing yards, recording 1709 yards and 22 touchdowns in 355 carries. He also recorded 18 receptions for 126 yards on the Trojans’ offense. This earned him several honors in his final collegiate season and also a high draft projection for 1969.

Simpson eventually won the Heisman Trophy in the 1968 season while also winning the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Chic Harley Award, Pop Warner Trophy and a host of others.

O.J. Simpson’s career at USC was nothing short of iconic. With just two seasons in the program, he was able to etch his name in history as the greatest player. The university retired No. 32 jersey after his exit and was selected as the first overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft.