The defending Heisman Trophy winner (Matt Leinart), a Heisman finalist (Reggie Bush), a national coach of the year (Pete Carroll), returning starters a plenty, blue-chip recruits by the bus load, an abuser-friendly schedule ...

The two-time defending national champion Southern California football team would seem to have everything going for it in the quest to pull off the first three-peat in the Associated Press poll.

But Ray Perkins knows better than most that even great teams need something more. "You need a little luck, too," Perkins sighed.

He knows this the hard way because he was an All-America split end on the 1966 Alabama team that came the closest to a three-peat, a generation before there was a term for it. After winning the '64 and '65 titles, Alabama was the only unbeaten and untied team in the country in '66 but was still denied what would have been its third consecutive national championship.

Tide fans will tell you that by all rights the pursuit of a national championship triple that USC begins against Hawai'i in the Sept. 3 season opener at Aloha Stadium should be to tie Alabama.

Instead, the Trojans, who have already matched the Crimson Tide by taking the 2003 and '04 national titles, can accomplish what eluded Nebraska (1994-95) and Alabama twice (1964-65 and 1978-79) in the era since the AP began including bowl games in national title voting.

"I would really like to see USC do it because they have a great team, a great quarterback and they do a great job of coaching," Perkins said. "I know him (Carroll) personally and I'd like to see him do it."

Once upon a time the superlatives were being tossed around the Tide in a similar manner. After going 10-1 in 1964 and 9-1-1 in '65, Alabama was primed for history in '66 with what coach Paul "Bear" Bryant would call "the greatest college team I've ever seen."

And, indeed, the Tide did not disappoint on the field that season, going 11-0. So total was the domination that Alabama shut out six of its opponents — including Louisiana State, South Carolina, Southern Mississippi and Auburn in succession. It outscored its opponents 301-44 and only two foes came within 10 points of the Tide as Alabama ran its streak to 21 games without a loss.

Ten who played on that team — including quarterback Ken Stabler — earned All-America honors that year or in subsequent seasons.

Still, Alabama achieved the dubious distinction of being the only team to begin a season as No. 1 in the polls and go unbeaten and untied but not win the national championship. The title, in a decision that still causes 'Bama blood to boil nearly 40 years later, went to a Notre Dame team that went 9-0-1. Alabama finished third, behind Michigan State, also 9-0-1.

But as Perkins likes to say, the mid-1960s, "was a different era, a different time." And not just because there was no ESPN or Bowl Championship Series.

It was the time of civil rights struggle and turmoil. Poll voters, like many TV-viewing citizens across the nation, were disgusted by "Bloody Sunday" and scenes of Birmingham public safety commissioner "Bull" Connor ordering attack dogs and fire hoses turned on civil rights marchers. The sight of Alabama Gov. George Wallace trying to turn back school desegregation did not endear the state — or its most visible sporting institution — outside the south. Especially when the football team was all white.

It wasn't until after tailback Sam Cunningham's 135-yard, two-touchdown performance for USC in a 42-21 rout of the Tide in Birmingham in 1970 that Alabama embraced the integration of its football team.

Moreover, in 1966 there were questions about an Alabama schedule that did not involve an opponent outside of the south. The "Dixie Title" or "Magnolia Championship" as some lampooned.

"I always felt that if we'd beaten a couple of those teams like (Louisiana Tech and Southern Mississippi) by a lot bigger margin (than 34-0 each) it might have made a difference," Perkins said. "But I don't know how much stock they (the voters) put in that." And, anyway, Bryant was against running up scores.

More to the point, Alabama suffered from the hype of the "Game of the Century," the nationally televised 10-10 tie between previously unbeatens Notre Dame and Michigan State in November.

Despite the deadlock, both teams stayed ahead of Alabama in the poll. And the Irish, who did not play in a bowl game as was the school's policy then, held on to No. 1 while Alabama was drubbing Nebraska, 34-7, in the Sugar Bowl.

"I remember Coach Bryant telling me and a couple of other guys, 'Well, we should at least get the MacArthur Trophy,' " Perkins recalled. "The inscription on it reads: 'There is no substitute for winning.' He felt sure we would at least get that since we were the only one that won all our games."

But there would be no third consecutive national championship or MacArthur Trophy.

Now it is USC's turn.

"They have the best shot of anybody I've seen," Perkins said. "They really do. But you need some (luck), too."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.