If it were not already time for this, it certainly is now:

We no longer can consider USC a “football” school.

Not after what Alabama did to the Trojans in their open tonight … a 52-6 blowout, nationally televised, that made the Trojans look like chumps.

Not after compiling a overall record of 57-28 since Pete Carroll got out of town, in 2009, just ahead of the NCAA coming down on the Trojans.

Until demonstrated otherwise — with, say, a victory over a top-10 team — the Trojans are just another team that plays in the Pac-12.

We’ll just pass over some of the more dire stats since Pete and “winning forever” (to the tune of 98-19 in nine seasons, with two national championships) disappeared into the Pacific Northwest.

–Records of 8-5, 10-2, 7-6, 10-4, 9-4, 8-6 and 0-1.

–Defeats by uncompetitive scores such as … 53-32 (at Oregon in 2010), 36-7 (at Oregon State in 2010), 43-22 (at Arizona State in 2011), 62-41 (at Arizona State in 2013), 38-20 (at UCLA in 2014), 48-28 (at Oregon in 2015) and 41-22 (to Stanford in the Pac-12 title game).

–Three coaches in six seasons, the mark of a program not steady on its feet. It could be argued that Pat Haden, former athletic director, pulled the plug too soon on Lane Kiffin, especially given that the latter had gone an admirable 8-5 and 10-2 the two years USC was on NCAA probation, and was 3-2 in 2013 when Haden fired him.

(Especially when Haden’s choice to replace interim coach Ed Orgeron, who had gone 6-2, was Steve Sarkisian, who had a drinking problem USC should have known about before firing him early in the 8-6 2015 campaign. And especially after Kiffin landed at Alabama, and was the guy who dialed up the offense that trampled the Trojans tonight.)

So, if football is no longer USC’s sport, what is it?

Consider men’s tennis. NCAA titles in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

Or how about men’s water polo? Six national titles in succession, from 2008 through 2013.

Or perhaps a couple of women’s sports, the NCAA defending champions in water polo and beach volleyball.

USC is not a football school. Not now. Maybe not ever again, as much as they have struggled for stability. What Alabama did to them tonight? USC used to do unto others. From punchers to punching bags.

Meanwhile, what do Southern California football fans watch now?

Perhaps the Rams have returned to Los Angeles just in time.