Lori Loughlin Did NOT Send Rowing Photos of Daughters to USC

Lori Loughlin's defense in her looming college admissions trial hasn't been talked about much in the media, but make no mistake about it -- she has a defense, starting with the fact the so-called incriminating photos of her daughters on a rowing machine NEVER made their way to USC.

Prosecutors have made a huge deal of the fact Olivia Jade and Isabella were photographed on a rowing machine ... saying it's proof Lori and husband Mossimo Giannulli defrauded the University.

Sources connected to USC tell TMZ, the photos were never submitted as part of the girls' admission package. As we reported, the mastermind of the scandal -- Rick Singer -- told Lori and Mossimo to get the pics taken so it would appear they had experience on a crew team.

At its core ... Lori and Mossimo's defense is they relied on Singer -- who helped "10s of thousands" other clients -- to get their daughters into USC. They gave him $500,000 -- some parents paid less and some more -- and assumed the money would end up in the hands of the University. In other words, it wasn't a bribe -- so their defense will go.