I've been doing a little research into USC's football results during its eighteen seasons of ACC competition (1953-1970). A few observations:
- Carolina's overall ACC record was 56-53-3 (.513).
- Carolina was 35-23-2 at home (.583), 17-28-1 on the road (.283), and 3-2 in neutral-site games (.600).
- Record by coaches: (Enright 6-11, Giese 20-14-1, Bass 12-17-2, Dietzel 18-11)
- Thank God for Virginia and Wake Forest. Carolina won a combined 23 games versus those two teams, 41% of its ACC win total. Carolina never lost a conference game versus Virginia.
- South Carolina won a share (with Duke) of the ACC championship in 1965. Following an NCAA investigation into recruiting improprieties, USC was stripped of the championship and forfeited it's four ACC wins for that season, giving it a 1-9 (0-7 ACC) record in the eyes of the ACC. Although USC does not recognize it's ACC championship, the USC media guide still reflects a 5-5 record (4-2 ACC).
- South Carolina won the 1969 ACC championship outright with a perfect 6-0 conference record (DNP Virginia).
- USC was on the rise under Dietzel during it's final three seasons of conference play, going 13-5 during 1968, '69 & '70, including the '69 conference championship.
- Conference schedules were very irregular. USC played Clemson, Maryland, and Wake every season, but only played a full conference slate during six of the eighteen seasons. Most season one team was missing, and in 1966, we did not play UNC, Duke or Virginia.
- USC and NC state did not meet during the first three seasons of ACC play, and when they met in 1956, it was their first meeting since 1935. Even before the ACC formed, Carolina played most would-be ACC teams yearly (as members of the Southern Conference). Curious that USC and NC State went two decades without playing.
- Records versus ACC opponents:
- Clemson: 9-9 (.500)
- Duke: 5-11-1 (.323) (DNP 1966)
- Maryland: 6-12 (.333)
- NC State: 6-7-1 (.464) (DNP 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967)
- UNC: 7-9 (.437) (DNP 1965, 1966)
- Virginia: 10-0-1 (1.000) - Virginia did not join the ACC until December, 1953, so the '53 contest (a USC win) did not count as a conference game. (DNP 1961, '62, '64, '66, '69, '70)
- Wake: 13-5 (.722)
