When Sam Darnold took the field on the first drive of Super Bowl 60 against the New England Patriots, the former USC football quarterback had already made history.
The Seattle Seahawks’ first-year quarterback became the first Trojans quarterback to play in the NFL’s biggest game of the year.
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The California native now looks to end his night at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California by making some additional history: becoming the first quarterback to lead the Seahawks to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy since Russell Wilson did so over a decade ago.
Here’s what to know on what Darnold’s college career:
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Recording artist Coco Jones performs before Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.
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Recording artist Coco Jones performs before Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.
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Seattle Seahawks cheerleaders perform during pregame activities before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium.
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New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai (48) warms up before Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.
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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) warms up before the game against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium.
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Green Day performs before Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.
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A volunteer with Contra-ICE distributes rally towels as part of the “Flags in the Stands” cultural action protesting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ahead of Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif. on Feb. 8, 2026.
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The Vince Lombardi Trophy is seen before Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
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A Seattle Seahawks fan looks on before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
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Football fans are seen before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
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Seattle Seahawks cheerleaders cheers from a cable car before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
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Seattle Seahawks fan looks on from the stands prior to Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
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AJ Barner #88 of the Seattle Seahawks runs into the tunnel prior to Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
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A view of Super Bowl signage before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on Feb.8 , 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
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A view of Levi’s Stadium before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots on Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif.
What college did Sam Darnold go to?
Darnold attended USC for college, where he played three years for the Trojans.
A four-star recruit in the 2015 recruiting class, Darnold was in the same recruiting class as Cincinnati Bengals’ QB Joe Burrow (LSU), Arizona Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray (Oklahoma) and Baltimore Ravens’ QB Lamar Jackson (Louisville).
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He redshirted his true freshman year with the Trojans, who had a quarterback room that featured Cody Kessler and Max Browne. He took over the reins full-time of the USC offense four games into his sophomore career and never lost it.
He was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets has reached the Super Bowl
Sam Darnold stats at USC
Here’s a year-by-year breakdown of Darnold’s stats at USC:
2016: 246-of-366 passing (67.2%) for 3,086 yards with 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions; 62 carries for 250 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns
2017: 303-of-480 passing (63.1%) for 4,143 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions; 75 carries for 82 rushing yards with five rushing touchdowns
Sam Darnold 247 rating
National ranking: No. 148
Positional ranking: No. 5 (Dual QB)
Sam Darnold committed to USC in the 2015 class. According to 247Sports’ Composite rankings, he was a 4-star dual-threat quarterback ranked as the No. 148 player in the class, including its No. 5 dual-threat QB and the No. 21 player from the state of California.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What college did Sam Darnold go to? Seahawks QB’s USC career, revisited
