Usc's "History-Shaping" Games
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USC'S "HISTORY-SHAPING" GAMES (When USC football reached a milestone in its illustrious history on Oct. 2, 1956 - USC 44, Texas 20 In 1925, guard Brice Taylor, an African-Ameri- 1999, by playing its 1,000th game, former Trojan assistant sports information can, was named USC’s first All-American. It would be about 30 years before director Chris Huston wrote the following since-updated story in Troy's game pro- another black man made his mark on Trojan football. Fullback C.R. Roberts was gram that day on USC's "most important" games...not necessarily the best games that man. He rumbled for 251 yards versus Texas, setting the USC single-game or most dramatic, but those that made USC football what it is today.) rushing record in the process. The record stood for 20 years. It was sweet re- demption for Roberts and his teammates. The game was played in Austin and Looking back, who would have thought that a tiny school founded by the the hotel the Trojans had booked was segregated. Head Coach Jess Hill moved Methodist Church would emerge to become one of the top football powers in the his team to a lodging that was integrated and the Trojans seemed to take it out country? on the Longhorns on game day. There have been so many accomplishments in these 1,000 games: eight 1959 - Notre Dame 16, USC 6 This was the last game played between national titles, four Heisman Trophy winners, 28 Rose Bowls and 121 All-Ameri- the two teams in South Bend in November. The freezing cold affected the Trojans cans. Trojan football history is packed with heroic moments and legendary names. so much that Athletic Director Jess Hill proposed moving USC’s games at Notre The names are etched clearly in our memories: Gloomy Gus. The Thun- Dame Stadium to October, while continuing to play the Coliseum games in late dering Herd. John McKay. Iron Mike. And the famous games still resonate: the November. Notre Dame agreed and it has been that way ever since. twin comebacks versus Notre Dame, the recurring nail-biters against UCLA, the 1961 - Iowa 35, USC 34 The Hawkeyes came into this game ranked No. triumphant Rose Bowls. 1 in the country. The Trojans, in their first season using John McKay’s I-forma- But what about the “most important” games out of the past 1,000 - the tion, were struggling. The critics in the press box said the “I” stood for “incompe- games that helped make USC what it is today? Which games started trends, tent,” “intolerable” and “ineffective.” But on this day, after falling behind 21-0, broke streaks or changed history? Some you’ll remember, some you won’t. Here USC exploded for 34 points and lost only in the last minute, 35-34. The Trojans are a few of the contests that shaped USC’s football history: totaled 220 yards on the ground and 156 in the air. For the first time, the I- formation proved its worth. Soon, USC and John McKay became synonymous 1888 - USC 16, Alliance Athletic Club 0 The first game. Who could have with this tailback-led rushing attack. imagined how the future would unfold? In those days a touchdown scored four 1967 - USC 24, Notre Dame 7 The 1967 USC-UCLA game is the game points, while the conversion was worth two points, a field goal five points and a everyone remembers from this season, but it never would have had the same safety scored two. Frank Suffel and Henry Goddard were the playing coaches for importance if the Trojans hadn’t first defeated defending national champion and this first team. No. 5 Notre Dame on a sunny October day in South Bend. The previous year, the 1905 - Stanford 16, USC 0 This was USC’s first game ever against major Irish handed the Trojans their worst defeat ever, 51-0, and despite USC’s No.1 college competition. Prior to this, USC had played Southland colleges, high schools, rank in the 1967 polls, Notre Dame was a heavy favorite. Weighing heavy on academies and athletic clubs and had rivalry games with Pomona and Occiden- the oddsmakers’ minds was the fact that USC had not won in South Bend since tal. Stanford, however, was big-time on the gridiron long before USC was. The 1939 (it didn’t matter much to them that McKay, after the ’66 debacle, vowed Stanford-Cal game annually made bigger headlines, even in Los Angeles, than never to lose to the Irish again). It was on this day that most of the country first any USC game. USC fans looked forward to this game all year and the Trojans heard of a tailback named O.J. Simpson. The junior from San Francisco rushed managed to hold their own on a dreary day in Palo Alto, but the result was a for 160 yards on 38 carries and tacked on all three USC touchdowns. A tena- shutout loss. Significantly, USC did not play another major opponent in college cious Trojan defense intercepted seven passes (four by a true Irishman, Adrian football for nine years after this Stanford loss. Young) and recovered two fumbles. USC trailed at the half, 7-0, but roared back 1924 - California 7, USC 0 Elmer “Gloomy Gus” Henderson’s unde- in the second half to win the game. The victory solidified Troy’s place at the top feated Trojans met Andy Smith’s undefeated Bears before 60,000 in USC’s first of the final rankings. appearance at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. Jim Dixon scored the game’s only 1970 - USC 42, Alabama 21 It’s a rare feat when a football game helps touchdown on a 12-yard run around left end in the second quarter. USC’s loss to change societal attitudes. The 1970 USC win over Alabama may have done pushed its record against Cal to 1-8-1. The pressure from the alumni for just that. The Trojans traveled to Birmingham where they faced an all-white Henderson’s ouster grew intense, and after an upset loss to St. Mary’s the next Crimson Tide team coached by Paul “Bear” Bryant. Thanks to dominating perfor- week, the decision was made to buy out Gloomy Gus’ contract at the end of the mances for USC by a trio of African-Americans (Sam Cunningham, Clarence year. The way was thus cleared for the arrival of Howard Jones, arguably Troy’s Davis and Jimmy Jones), Bryant was convinced that he needed to recruit black greatest head coach. players for his program. The rest of the Southeastern Conference soon followed 1925 - Nebraska 17, Notre Dame 0 The greatest intersectional college suit and opportunities for black athletes in the South began to improve tremen- football rivalry--USC versus Notre Dame--might never have commenced but for dously. Bryant was so impressed by Cunningham (who had 135 yards and two this game. USC was looking for a national rival and dispatched graduate man- touchdowns on just 12 carries) that he invited the sophomore fullback into the ager Gwynn Wilson (akin to the modern day athletic director) and his wife to ‘Bama locker room after the game. He brought his players to Cunningham one- Lincoln, where Notre Dame was playing Nebraska on Thanksgiving Day. Knute by-one and introduced him, saying: “This is what a football player looks like.” Rockne was cool to the idea of a home-and-home series with USC because of 1996 - USC 27, Notre Dame 20 At long last, after 13 years of futility, the the travel involved, but Mrs. Wilson was able to persuade Mrs. Rockne that a trip Trojans defeated the Irish. In what seemed the unlikeliest of streaks, USC had every two years to sunny Southern California was better than one to snowy, found every possible way to not defeat Notre Dame. And in what seemed like hostile Nebraska. Mrs. Rockne spoke to her husband and shortly thereafter Notre the unlikeliest of days for it to happen, Troy finally ended that streak. USC was Dame became an annual fixture on USC’s schedule. struggling at 5-6 after a wild double-overtime loss to UCLA the previous week 1928 - USC 10, Stanford 0 Howard Jones had not beaten Glenn “Pop” while Notre Dame was standing tall with an 8-2 record and a New Year’s Day Warner’s Stanford Indians in three tries until his Thundering Herd did it before bowl bid in the works. The Trojans somehow managed to stay in the game 80,000 at the Coliseum this year. The legendary Warner considered this Stanford despite playing without starting quarterback Brad Otton for large chunks of regu- team to be his best, but they lost five turnovers to USC that day. Stanford’s 10- lation, as he was bothered by an injury. When Notre Dame scored a touchdown pound per-man weight advantage was offset by the Trojans’ “quick-mix” de- to go ahead 20-12 (with the PAT pending) in the fourth quarter, things looked fense and a speedy backfield comprised of Don Williams, Russ Saunders and bleak for USC. But Irish kicker Jim Sanson shanked the extra point and the Marshall Duffield. This was a landmark game as it signaled Troy’s emergence as margin stayed at eight. The Trojans responded with an eight-play, 67-yard drive the preeminent power on the West Coast. USC went on to win its first national culminating in Delon Washington’s 15-yard touchdown scamper. Washington title that season and Jones never lost to Warner again.