Close 3-way finish sees USC finish as the runner-up in Learfield Directors' Cup

It could have come down to Stanford, USC, or Texas at the end. Another run during either softball or baseball here or a slight shift during the track and field NCAA Championships in Eugene could have seen either of these schools end up on top.

For the 2024-2025 collegiate year, the Longhorns were crowned champions of the Learfield Directors' Cup. They finished with 1255.25 points. USC edged out Stanford with 1253.75 points for second place, and the Cardinal accumulated 1251 points.

Overall, this should show how well the Trojans did throughout all sports. The Directors’ Cup Updates account on X gives the scorecards of what each of the three schools earned in terms of points for each sport.

The five sports that are taken into consideration for all programs for the final standings are baseball, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, and soccer. From there, the 14 highest-scoring sports are the ones that are taken into consideration, as the account would go on to mention in the comments. This allows for as level of an even playing field as possible, considering the size and different athletics that are and aren't present at each institution.

For the Trojans, the indoor wins are by the men's track and field team during the indoor and outdoor seasons, providing a total of 195 points. Had USC found a way to win the outdoor title outright, then the five points would have been enough to secure the top spot in the Directors' Cup standings.

High-end placements throughout USC athletics

Still, it is a year that the Trojan fan base can look on with great pride. Among some of the teams that did well in the Cardinal and Gold, the women's golf, women's basketball, women's beach volleyball, and women's basketball teams finished fifth. The women's track and field team placed third in the indoor season and second in the outdoor events that just occurred in Eugene. Both water polo squads finished second.

Considering the continued push across the board to improve, it should not surprise anyone to soon see USC take the top spot from Texas shortly.