Clay Helton’s first full season at the helm saw a disastrous beginning. After a 1-3 start with losses to ‘Bama, Stanford, and Utah, Sam Darnold took the reigns and never looked back. That team won every remaining game, including one of the greatest Rose Bowl Games in history.
The next season, the Trojans, ranked in the top 5 in the AP Poll, were expected to make a run at the College Football Playoff. After stumbling in Pullman, the men of Troy were blown out at Notre Dame, snuffing out any hopes of a national championship run.