EXCLUSIVE

Trouble in Troy ... with 2 USC football players BLOWING UP on each other after the Stanford game -- with multiple coaches and players rushing in to break up the altercation ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Multiple sources tell us... the incident went down as the team was in the tunnel at the Coliseum heading to the locker room after losing to Stanford 41-31 on Saturday night.

We're told there was yelling and pushing between the two players -- and they each had to be physically restrained.

After the spat, we're told Coach Steve Sarkisian scolded the players involved and other team members -- saying, "We just lost the game and you two are fighting each other?!"

Obviously, tensions were running high -- since the loss dropped USC from #6 to #19 ... but it's unclear if the players will face any sort of disciplinary action for the dust up.