The team was coached by Pete Carroll, led on offense by quarterback John David Booty, and played their home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

[2] Additionally, the 2005 team, named by some of the media as one of the best offenses in the history of college football,[3] played for the national championship where they lost to the Texas Longhorns.

[6] After the 2005 season, defensive coordinator, Jethro Franklin, took an assistant coaching position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

[8][9] Bush, who had one year left of eligibility, announced his plans to skip his senior season a week after the team's loss in the Rose Bowl.

Redshirt senior and 2003 starting fullback Brandon Hancock tore his knee ligaments in fall camp, ending his career.

Redshirt senior running back and 2003 starter Hershel Dennis re-tore his knee ligaments in spring practice after initially tearing them during the 2005 FedEx Orange Bowl, finishing his time at USC unless he gets a sixth year of eligibility.

Dennis was expected to compete for the starting tailback job with redshirt junior Chauncey Washington and a host of talented freshmen.

Senior defensive end Rashaad Goodrum suffered a back and rib injury in 2005 and was not expected to play again for USC.

Redshirt senior walk-on linebacker Lou Ferrigno Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury in spring practice and is out of eligibility.

Gable beat out talented freshmen Emmanuel Moody, Allen Bradford, and Stafon Johnson along with upperclassmen Desmond Reed and Michael Coleman for the starting job after junior Chauncey Washington was not ready to go due to injuries.

Redshirt junior fullback Ryan Powdrell won the starting job after Hancock's season ended before it began.

[18] The Trojans next traveled to face the Washington State Cougars, led by fourth-year head coach, Bill Doba, and quarterback, Alex Brink.

[19] The Washington, led by first-year head coach, Tyrone Willingham, and quarterback, Isaiah Stanback, next visited the Trojans.

The Huskies scored on two Stanback touchdown passes and two field goals, but the time clock ran out during their final drive, giving the Trojans a 26–20 win.

[20] The Arizona State Sun Devils, led by sixth-year head coach, Dirk Koetter, and quarterback, Rudy Carpenter, next visited the Trojans.

In the fourth quarter, Booty threw his second touchdown of the game, and, after a two-point conversion, brought the score to 33–25 in favor of the Beavers.

The game started with the Irish receiving the ball and Brady Quinn throwing a quick 38-yard pass to Rhema McKnight.

The Irish drive stalled afterwards and turned the ball over after Quinn's fourth down pass flew errantly into the endzone.

The Trojans took over and quarterback John David Booty led them on a 61-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Jarrett.

In the first drive of the second quarter, Booty led the Trojans to the Irish 1-yard line where he snuck the ball in for USC's third touchdown of the game.

The next two drives by the Trojans both ended when Booty threw an interception, but the Irish couldn't capitalize on either, turning the ball over on downs two more times.

The only other score of the third quarter came on Notre Dame's second drive of 58-yards, when Quinn hit Rhema McKnight for a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth down.

After the Irish were held, Booty threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Jarrett to give the Trojans a 37–17 lead (Danelo missed the extra point).

[26] In the month leading to the Rose Bowl, starting kicker Troy Van Blarcom was dismissed by the university because of his grades, leaving all duties to Mario Danelo.

[29][30][31] USC placekicker Mario Danelo was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in San Pedro, California, on the night of January 6, 2007.