USC Football’s 31-28 win over Stanford in the 2017 Pac-12 Championship Game played out on Twitter, with on-field and online postgame celebrations.
It was a night to celebrate for USC Football, besting the Stanford Cardinal in a hard-fought Pac-12 Championship Game.
With victory came the Pac-12 Championship trophy, a piece of silverware the Trojans have not hoisted since 2008.
USC never relinquished the lead after Sam Darnold found Michael Pittman for the opening score of the game midway through the first quarter. Still, it was by no means an easy victory.
The Trojans went up by as much as 10, but the Cardinal closed the gap to three with half a minute left in the first half. When Ronald Jones II punched in a touchdown from the one-yard line in the third quarter to return the lead to double digits, Stanford again responded.
However, Jones II’s second touchdown from eight yards out to give USC another 10-point lead with 4:22 left in the contest, following an epic goal line stand for the Trojan defense, ultimately proved too much for the Cardinal. Though K.J. Costello tossed a touchdown with just over two minutes to play, USC ran out the clock to ensure the victory.
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The win paid off a season of frustration for the Trojans, who progressed through the regular season without a bye week while winning a string of close games in order to land a spot in the Pac-12 title game.
Naturally, USC fans, coaches and players, past and present, participated in the revelry on social media, basking in the joy of being conference champs.
Here’s some of the highlights from USC’s celebratory night on Twitter:
“I want ‘em to hear it in Los Angeles, California!” #FightOn pic.twitter.com/Hmg4Xeahj6
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) December 2, 2017
Hours after the passing of his beloved grandma, USC senior captain @CHawk_4 put together a signature performance, making a career-high 13 tackles in the Pac-12 Championship Game. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/YUH5wQNxhn
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) December 2, 2017
Good guy Sam immediately tried to hand his MVP trophy to his offensive line. ? #FightOn pic.twitter.com/0bHSETkCeI
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) December 2, 2017
I️ remember the feeling... congrats fellas nothing like playing ball on New Year’s Day #WEOWNTHEROSEBOWL #3xROSEBOWLCHAMP #FIGHTON #RIPSMOKINJOE4 pic.twitter.com/5WUltPSPx5
— Stafon Johnson (@Stafonjohnson26) December 2, 2017
Just face-timed my nephew @youngpie_1 & few other Trojan players wishing them good luck tonight, i told Sam Darnold “i love you” but i don’t think he knows who i am...
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) December 2, 2017
Congrats to @USC_Athletics for winning the Pac 12 Championship. What a season! #11-2
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) December 2, 2017
I️ pray everybody pain is champagne ? #Pac12Champions pic.twitter.com/28WKN2NufR
— garçon (@iman_marshall8) December 2, 2017
Congratulations fellas..excuse me PAC-12 champs!✌?❤️?Of all the things we accomplished this year on the field the one thing that I will always remember from this season are our seniors up front. Chenna Fatu thank you for everything! #FightOn #Pac12Champs pic.twitter.com/YB3cDHgbVL
— Coach Kenechi Udeze (@CoachBKU) December 2, 2017
Congrats to the the Pac-12 champions tonight. Especially proud of @lopsey37 It doesn’t get much better than a dad celebrating a championship with his son. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/vEr5tC0Bgd
— Steve Lopes (@stevelopes75) December 2, 2017
PAC 12 Champs! YESSIR! @USC_Athletics #FightOn ✌?
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) December 2, 2017
MOOD pic.twitter.com/mEOCnZltZq
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) December 2, 2017
Damn it feels good to be a trojan #Pac12Champs https://t.co/Aa6h83QfSs
— Keith Rivers (@rivers55) December 2, 2017
Young boys @MikePitt_Jr @tswag03 look like the next great SC WR duo.. Keep growing felas!!
— Dion Bailey (@dbailey_18) December 2, 2017
USC PAC 12 CHAMPS!!!! Congrats @USCCoachHelton you have guided this team to much success. When you take care of your players, your players take care of YOU!!! #FIGHTON
— Steve Tu'ikolovatu (@steviet_90) December 2, 2017
So proud of this team.. #Pac12Champs
— Silas Redd Jr. (@ThirdEyeSi_) December 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/UchennaN_42/status/937019127725563904
2017 Pac-12 Champs. pic.twitter.com/VHk5I5wvpS
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) December 2, 2017
Current mood. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/UVf6Ynx0a3
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) December 2, 2017
That’s a big trophy... pic.twitter.com/dJL2AaTGDR
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) December 2, 2017
This gem: some USC players screaming about the 9-0 pic.twitter.com/2uNroA8D5A
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) December 2, 2017
Celebrations for the Trojans pic.twitter.com/6KOJX30zgv
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) December 2, 2017
What. A. Night. #Pac12Championship #USC pic.twitter.com/mdwkaizt2Z
— Elisa Hernandez (@EHernandezTV) December 2, 2017
Stephen Carr gives the trophy a kiss pic.twitter.com/w0yfCvcqpF
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) December 2, 2017
Josh Falo getting some love from his OC pic.twitter.com/fMiCnqmUiD
— Alicia de Artola (@PenguinOfTroy) December 2, 2017
I think if you make the biggest tackle of the season you can take as many pictures as you want with the trophy @UchennaN_42 pic.twitter.com/Sd0grSYRJg
— Chris Treviño (@ChrisNTrevino) December 2, 2017
Clay Helton: "No one will remember the scores 10 years from now. But they will remember that these kids are Pac-12 champions."
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) December 2, 2017
Clay Helton says #USC deserves to be in the playoff discussion because they're conference champions and are hot right now.
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) December 2, 2017
convincing myself that Malik Dorton saved the goal line stand and there would have been 12 men on the field if he hadn't assaulted his teammate pic.twitter.com/GD7ZmGzXnw
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) December 2, 2017
USC just won the Pac-12 and went 11-2 with a schedule that featured no regular-season byes and whose worst nonconference opponent was in the Cotton Bowl last year. That is a phenomenal year by any standard.
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) December 2, 2017
Now USC will wait to hear their fate in regards to the College Football Playoff and bowl destination. Though the Trojans have a slim chance of making it into the Top 4, their most likely destination appears to be the Fiesta Bowl.