Editing Carson Palmer (section)

==College career==
[[File:CarsonPalmer.JPG|left|thumb| Palmer and his retired #3 jersey at USC]]

===Freshman season===

{{See also|1998 USC Trojans football team}}

Palmer entered the [[University of Southern California]] in 1998, where he played for head coach [[Paul Hackett (American football)|Paul Hackett]] the first three years of his college career. He began the season as a back-up to Mike Van Raaphorst. They split time throughout the first 8 games, with Palmer mainly coming in during the second half. The Trojans' season opener was played against [[1998 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]. Palmer only played for three series in the second half and went 3-of-6 and 79 passing yards. The next week, he came in at quarterback during the third quarter and threw his first career touchdown pass while playing against [[1998 San Diego State Aztecs football team|San Diego State]]. In week 4, he almost played the entire second half in a 30–10 loss to the number-10 [[1998 Florida State Seminoles football team|Florida State]]. He bounced back the next week in a comeback win against [[1998 Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State]], finishing the game with 4 completions for 69 yards and a touchdown. In the week-8 match-up with [[1998 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon]], he came in sporadically but finished the game with a season-high 10/19 completions for 179 yards. After losing to Oregon, Palmer got his first career start the next week against [[1998 Washington Huskies football team|Washington]], making him the first true freshman quarterback to start for USC since [[Rob Johnson (American football)|Rob Johnson]] in 1991. He finished the game with 18/31 completions, 279 passing yards, and 1 touchdown. He continued as the starter the next week, racking up 19-of-26 completions, 203 yards, and a touchdown in a win against [[1998 Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford]]. In week 11, Palmer started against number 3 [[1998 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]], in what was his toughest test yet. Although his team lost, he had a career-high 28/43 completions, 252 yards, and 1 passing touchdown. The Trojans won 10–0 against #9 [[1998 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]] in their regular season finale, with Palmer finishing with 14/32 completions, 188 passing yards, and his first career rushing touchdown. Palmer started his first career bowl game against [[1998 TCU Horned Frogs football team|TCU]] in the [[1998 Sun Bowl|Sun Bowl]]. He was sacked 6 times and completed 17-of-28 passes, 280 passing yards, and 1 touchdown. He ended his freshman season with 130 completions, 235 attempts(55.3%), 1,755 passing yards, 116 rushing yards, 7 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and a rushing touchdown.<ref name="Toeknee44">{{Cite web |title=Carson Palmer Bio |url=http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/palmer_carson00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526081806/http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/palmer_carson00.html |archive-date=May 26, 2011 |website=University of Southern California}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1998 USC Trojans Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-california/1998.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180518/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-california/1998.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

===Sophomore seasons===

{{See also|1999 USC Trojans football team|2000 USC Trojans football team}}

Going into his sophomore year in 1999, he was named the starting quarterback of the Trojans. The season opener was against [[1999 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team|Hawaii]] and Palmer played in a little more than two quarters. He finished the game with 14/16 completions (87.5%), 167 passing yards, 1 touchdown pass, and a 9-yard rushing touchdown. The next week against [[1999 San Diego State Aztecs football team|San Diego State]] he completed 16/24 passes for 188 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. On September 25, Palmer started the game against [[1999 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon]], throwing 9 completions for 135 yards. Before halftime, he broke his collarbone while scrambling for a 3-yard gain. This injury effectively ended his season. In only three games he had 39/53 completions (73.6%), 490 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and a single rushing touchdown. The NCAA let him use his redshirt, although he had already played in 3 games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 USC Trojans Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-california/1999.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180459/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-california/1999.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

After being sidelined for the last 11 months, Palmer returned to his starting role in 2000. He made his return in week 1 against #22 [[2000 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State]], going for 10/20 completions for 87 yards and an interception.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC vs Penn State Box Score, August 27, 2000 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-08-27-penn-state.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722121435/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-08-27-penn-state.html |archive-date=July 22, 2017 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The following game, Palmer led the Trojans 72-yards down the field with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter. This set up the game-winning field goal against [[2000 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]], putting USC up 17–14. He threw for 25/30(83.3%), 275 passing yards, and a touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colorado at Southern California Box Score, September 9, 2000 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-09-09-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180537/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-09-09-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The very next week he led another comeback win against [[2000 San Jose State Spartans football team|San Jose State]], bringing USC back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Palmer ended the game with 22/38 completions, a career-high 338 passing yards, and 2 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Jose State at Southern California Box Score, September 23, 2000 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-09-23-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180548/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-09-23-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After 5 consecutive losses, he started in week 10 against [[2000 Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State]] and end the game with 22 of 37 completions, for 279 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in the double overtime victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at Arizona State Box Score, November 4, 2000 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-11-04-arizona-state.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180604/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-11-04-arizona-state.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Palmer started the first half the next game against the [[2000 Washington Huskies football team|Washington]] and was benched the second half for Mike Van Raaphorst, after going 12 of 26 for 145 yards and an interception. After being benched, he returned against [[UCLA–USC rivalry|rival]] [[2000 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]] the next game, and had a career-high 350 yards, and 4 touchdowns while throwing 26/37 completions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at UCLA Box Score, November 18, 2000 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-11-18-ucla.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180529/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-11-18-ucla.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> His performance against the Bruins won him PAC-10 Offensive Player of the Week and USC's Game MVP. In the regular season finale, against [[2000 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]], he completed 17 of 35 passes for 251 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and lead USC with 22-yards rushing and 1 rushing touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Notre Dame at Southern California Box Score, November 25, 2000 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-11-25-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180533/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2000-11-25-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> USC finished the season with a 5–7 record and Palmer finished with 228 completions, 414 attempts(54.9%) 2914 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions.<ref name="Toeknee44" />

===Junior season===

{{See also|2001 USC Trojans football team}}

Following a 6–6 record in 1999 and a 5–7 record in 2000, Paul Hackett stepped down as head coach. 2001 marked [[Pete Carroll]]'s first season with USC and under a new revamped offense, Palmer threw 21/28 completions, 213 passing yards, and an interception in the season opener against [[2001 San Jose State Spartans football|San Jose State]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Jose State at Southern California Box Score, September 1, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-01-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180452/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-01-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> During a week 4 loss at [[2001 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon]], he threw 25/40 completions, for a career-high 411 yards, 3 interceptions, and a career-high 75-yard touchdown pass and a 93-yard touchdown pass.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at Oregon Box Score, September 22, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-22-oregon.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180526/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-22-oregon.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After four consecutive losses, where he threw a total of 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, USC finally received a win against [[2001 Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State]] with Palmer going 18/26 for 295 passing yards and 3 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arizona State at Southern California Box Score, October 13, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-13-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180556/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-13-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The next week at [[2001 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]], although being sacked 5 times, he finished with 19 of 30 completions, 230 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at Notre Dame Box Score, October 20, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-20-notre-dame.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180551/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-20-notre-dame.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Palmer defeated [[2001 Oregon State Beavers football team|Oregon State]] in week 10, after going 21 of 28, for 171 passing yards, and an interception. The game came down to overtime, where Palmer bootlegged for a 4-yard scramble, broke one tackle, and dove at the pylon for the game-winning touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oregon State at Southern California Box Score, November 3, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-11-03-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180502/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-11-03-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After 4 wins in-a-row, USC lost to [[2001 Utah Utes football team|Utah]], and Palmer finished the game with 15 of 26 completions for 150 yards. Although his first season under new head coach Pete Carroll ended with a 6–6 record, he finished his season with 221 completions, 377 attempts(58.6%), 2,717 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 12 starts.<ref name="Toeknee44" />

===Senior season===

{{See also|2002 USC Trojans football team}}

After proving himself to be one of the nation's top college quarterbacks his junior year, Palmer returned to USC for a fifth year in 2002. He resumed the role of starting quarterback for the fourth consecutive year and was voted the team captain. He finished the season opener against [[2002 Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn]] with 23 of 32 completions, 302 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, and 2 interceptions in a 24–17 victory. With only 1:26 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, he ran the ball in for a 1-yard touchdown on a quarterback sneak to win the game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Auburn at Southern California Box Score, September 2, 2002 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-09-02-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180601/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-09-02-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> USC matched up against #25 [[2002 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]] in week 3, and Palmer became USC's career leader in passing yards and completions after completing 18 of 46 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at Kansas State Box Score, September 21, 2002 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-09-21-kansas-state.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180507/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-09-21-kansas-state.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He came back in week 7 to throw 21 of 34 completions for 348 passing yards and 4 passing touchdowns against #19 [[2002 Washington Huskies football team|Washington]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington at Southern California Box Score, October 19, 2002 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-10-19-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180513/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-10-19-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Palmer then had a record-setting day the next week against #14 [[2002 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon]] when he broke the school records with 31/42 completions(73.8%), 448 passing yards, and tied the record with 5 passing touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at Oregon Box Score, October 26, 2002 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-10-26-oregon.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722144721/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-10-26-oregon.html |archive-date=July 22, 2017 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In week 11 against #25 [[2002 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]], he racked up 19/32 completions for 254 passing yards and 4 passing touchdowns, winning his third PAC-10 Offensive Player of the Week for the 2002 season and becoming the career leader for passes, completions, and attempts in the PAC-10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at UCLA Box Score, November 23, 2002 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-11-23-ucla.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180455/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-11-23-ucla.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He returned the next game to throw another 4 touchdowns, while also throwing the most yards ever (425) against [[2002 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Notre Dame at Southern California Box Score, November 30, 2002 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-11-30-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180544/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2002-11-30-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He played his last collegiate game in the [[2003 Orange Bowl]] against #3 [[2002 Iowa Hawkeyes football team|Iowa]], finishing with 21 of 31 completions, 303 passing yards, and a touchdown, while also being named the game's MVP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Orange Bowl – USC vs Iowa Box Score, January 2, 2003 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2003-01-02-iowa.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180523/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2003-01-02-iowa.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====Heisman Trophy====
Palmer finished his last season with a total of 309 completions, 489 attempts(63.2%), 3,942 passing yards, 33 touchdown passes, and 10 interceptions while also breaking the school record for most completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns in a season. He was voted the winner of the 2002 [[Heisman Award]], outpacing Iowa's [[Brad Banks]] and [[Penn State University|Penn State]]'s [[Larry Johnson (running back)|Larry Johnson]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 Heisman Trophy Voting |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2002.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212172656/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2002.html |archive-date=December 12, 2021 |access-date=September 22, 2022 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Palmer was the fifth player and first quarterback from USC to win the award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Heisman Memorial Trophy Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005203701/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman.html |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=September 22, 2022 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After five years at USC, he finished his career with 72 passing touchdowns, 49 interceptions, 927 completions, 1,569 attempts, and 11,818 passing yards. He also ended up being the Pac-10's career leader for completions, attempts, and passing yards.<ref name="Toeknee44" />

===College statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|-
! GP !! Record !! Comp !! Att !! Pct !! Yards !! Avg !! TD !! Int !! Rate !! Att !! Yards !! Avg !! TD
|-
! colspan="16" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|USC Trojans}}"  | USC Trojans
|-
! [[1998 NCAA Division I FBS football season|1998]]
| '''13'''|| 4–1 || 130 || 235 || 55.3 || 1,755 || 7.5 || 7 || 6 || 122.8 || 47 || −116 || −2.5 || 1 
|-
! [[1999 NCAA Division I FBS football season|1999]]
| 3 || 2–1 || 39 || 53 || '''73.6'''|| 490 || '''9.2'''|| 3 || '''3'''|| '''158.6'''|| 7 || 2 || 0.3 || 1 
|-
! [[2000 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2000]]
| 12 || 5–7 || 228 || 415 || 54.9 || 2,914 || 7.0 || 16 || 18 || 118.0 || 63 || 5 || 0.1 || 2 
|-
! [[2001 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2001]]
| 12 || 6–6 || 221 || 377 || 58.6 || 2,717 || 7.2 || 13 || 12 || 124.2 || '''88'''|| '''34'''|| '''0.4'''|| 1 
|-
! [[2002 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2002]]
| '''13'''|| '''11–2'''|| '''309'''|| '''489'''|| 63.2 || '''3,942'''|| 8.1 || '''33'''|| 10 || 149.1 || 50 || −122 || −2.4 || '''4'''
|-
! [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/carson-palmer-1.html Career] !! 53 !! 28–17 !! 927 !! 1,569 !! 59.1 !! 11,818 !! 7.5 !! 72 !! 49 !! 131.2 !! 255 !! -197 !! -0.8 !! 9 
|}