LOS ANGELES — Lane Kiffin triumphantly flew in from Tennessee nearly four years ago as the unlikely choice to extend Southern California’s football renaissance.

When Kiffin’s Trojans trudged home to that same airport early Sunday morning after another loss, athletic director Pat Haden couldn’t wait another minute to end the divisive coach’s tumultuous tenure.

USC fired Kiffin hours after a 62-41 loss at Arizona State that dropped the Trojans to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12. The loss was the seventh in 11 games for a powerhouse program.