USC Song Girls (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The USC Song Girls are a beloved group, and they found themselves being talked about a lot on Sunday night.
Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans were on cloud nine during their primetime game against the LSU Tigers.
No. 23 USC took down No. 13 LSU 27-20 with a successful two-minute drill to win the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic.
Amid that game were many fans noticing the USC Song Girls.
Many videos and pictures would surface online as the popular cheerleading group was praised for their looks and performance.
The USC Song Girls are a renowned spirit and dance team at USC. They’ve performed and cheered at athletic events since 1968.
In 2018, the renowned group celebrated 50 years of thrilling crowds with school spirit and goodwill.
Former USC Song Girls Detailed Toxic Team Environment
Not everything that glitters is gold.
Ten former members of the USC Song Girls detailed a toxic culture within the program back in 2021, as reported by the Los Angeles Times in 2021.
The report stated the women discussed “a toxic culture within the famed collegiate dance team that included longtime former coach Lori Nelson rebuking women publicly for their eating habits, personal appearance and sex lives.”
It further added that the former members “faced serious body image issues within the program that went beyond normal fitness required to be on a spirit squad.”
Three members said their time with the Song Girls led to “some form of eating disorder,” while another member experienced severe depression and even thought about taking her own life.
The USC Song Girls reportedly also had to sign a contract that stated they needed to “stay within five pounds of their audition weight.”
Former coach Lori Nelson led the team for over three decades before resigning in 2020 amid a Title IX investigation that was launched against her.
