Five things we take for granted as USC football fans

This year begins a new chapter in USC football history. As the Trojans kick off their first year in the Big Ten — with a challenging schedule starting with the Sept. 1 nonconference opener vs. LSU — let’s take a minute to remind ourselves of a few things we take for granted:

Winning

The Trojans’ overall record stands at 875-368 with 54 ties. That’s a 70% winning percentage! The record at the Coliseum is even better: 465-149-27 (a 75% win rate).* Those losses sting, for sure — but there’s usually another win right around the corner.

Future NFL standouts

USC leads the pack with the most No. 1 overall picks in the NFL Draft (6) and is second in most all-time draft picks produced (530). We also have the most Heisman Trophy winners (8).

The best stadium

With its capacity of 77,500, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is midsize by Big Ten standards: Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State’s stadiums all break 100,000.

But if walls could talk, ours has the best stories: Nobody else’s venue has hosted two Olympic games, with a third on the way; two Super Bowls, including one before the championship game got its “super” name; and a World Series. And nobody else has an Olympic torch inside their stadium.

The best band

Don’t just take our word for it: The Spirit of Troy — “Hollywood’s band” — has been named the best in college football by USA Today — twice. Is it the sunglasses? The annual performances at the Hollywood Bowl and on Catalina Island? The TV and movie appearances and the platinum records? Yes, yes and yes. Think about all that next time you’re “singing” along with “Tusk.”

Everything else

We’ve got the best mascot. The best dance team. The best fight song. The best spirit squad. Heck, even the best colors (cardinal and gold beat blue and gold hands down).

* Records through Aug. 29. For win percentages, NCAA calculates ties as a half-win and a half-loss. Statistics do not include 14 wins and one loss from 2004 and 2005 vacated due to NCAA penalties.