LOS ANGELES -- Southern California has fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch with two games left in the Trojans' disappointing regular season.
Coach Lincoln Riley dropped his longtime top assistant one day after USC (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) gave up 572 yards and 52 points to No. 5 Washington in the Trojans' third loss in four games.
USC's defense has played poorly for the past six games and the Trojans have lost three of their last four to fall out of the College Football Playoff race after a 6-0 start. USC was unranked in Sunday's AP Top 25 for the first time in Riley's two-year tenure at the school.