Season by season
The 1978 Season: 1978
Opened the season with Alabama holding the belt; USC closed it out. 12 belt games this season: 4 title changes and 8 defenses.
| # | Date | Matchup | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,026 | September 2, 1978 | Nebraska at Alabama | 3–20 | Defended · #1 |
| 1,027 | September 16, 1978 | Alabama at Missouri | 38–20 | Defended · #2 |
| 1,028 | September 23, 1978 | USC at Alabama | 24–14 | New champion: USC |
| 1,029 | September 29, 1978 | Michigan State at USC | 9–30 | Defended · #1 |
| 1,030 | October 14, 1978 | USC at Arizona State | 7–20 | New champion: Arizona State |
| 1,031 | October 28, 1978 | Arizona State at Washington | 7–41 | New champion: Washington |
| 1,032 | November 4, 1978 | Arizona at Washington | 21–31 | Defended · #1 |
| 1,033 | November 11, 1978 | Washington at USC | 10–28 | New champion: USC |
| 1,034 | November 18, 1978 | USC at UCLA | 17–10 | Defended · #1 |
| 1,035 | November 25, 1978 | Notre Dame at USC | 25–27 | Defended · #2 |
| 1,036 | December 2, 1978 | USC at Hawai'i | 21–5 | Defended · #3 |
| 1,037 | January 1, 1979 | Michigan vs. USC | 10–17 | Defended · #4 |
Season Detail
Reigns That Started This Season
| Team | Since | How | Held It |
|---|---|---|---|
| USC | September 23, 1978 | took it from Alabama | 21 days |
| Arizona State | October 14, 1978 | took it from USC | 14 days |
| Washington | October 28, 1978 | took it from Arizona State | 14 days |
| USC | November 11, 1978 | took it from Washington | 735 days |