Countdown to college football: 12 days

There are 12 days left until the college football kicks offon Thursday, Sept. 1. In today's countdown, we examine the number12 --Alabama's 12 straight wins and the team that will be looking to snap that streak on Saturday, Sept. 3-- Southern Cal.

USC used to be where the Crimson Tide are now. A 12-game winning streak? That's nothing compared to what the Trojans did in the mid-2000s under Pete Carroll with a nearly three-year winningstreak of34 straight.

Thetwo college football powers will meetin Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium,home of the Dallas Cowboys.The Tide won twice there last season, opening with a victory over Wisconsin and defeating Michigan State in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Alabama owns a 5-2 advantage in the series. The teams haven't met since the 1985 Aloha Bowl (Bama won 24-3). Intheir most recent home-and-home series played during the late 1970s, each won on the road.

Alabama's current winning streak started a third of the way into last season followinga loss to Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide then reeled off 12 in a row, winning the Southeastern Conference andtheirfourth national title under Nick Saban with a 45-40 win over previously-undefeated Clemson in the CFPNational Championship game.

Alabama is 9-0 in season opening games underSaban (including 2007 vacated win).

In case you missed any part of our countdown:

13 days: Lucky number 13 for a trio of teams

14 days: 14 years of Boise State excellence

15 days: Kansas has lost 15 straight games, the longest active FBS streak.

16 days: Peyton Manning wore No. 16 for Tennessee.

17 days: TCU QBs completed 17 of 17 passes in a game in 2012, an FBS record.

18 days: Ohio State has won an FBS-best 18 consecutive road games.

19 days: There are 19 head coaches at their alma mater this season.

20 days: It has been 20 years since Florida won its first national championship.

21 days:Oklahoma led the nation in average scoring margin (21.5) last season.

22 days: Ohio State has been in the top 10 of the AP poll for 22 straight weeks.

23 days:Virginia Tech has played in an FBS-best 23 straight bowl games.

24 days:In the first game of the historic rivalry, Navy beat Army 24-0.

25 days: Desmond Howard won the Heisman 25 years ago.

26 days:Arkansas State led the nation with 26 interceptions in 2015.

27 days: Clemson's Greg Huegel led the nation with 27 field goals in 2015.

28 days: Adrian Peterson wore No. 28 for Oklahoma.

29 days: Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium opened in 1929.

30 days: Miami's Vinny Testaverde won the Heisman 30 years ago.