American college football season
1972 USC Trojans football Conference Pacific-8 Conference Coaches No. 1 AP No. 1 1972 record 12–0 (7–0 Pac-8) Head coach Captains
Sam Cunningham , FBJohn Grant , DT Home stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Seasons
1972 Pacific-8 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
No. 1 USC $
7
–
0
–
0
12
–
0
–
0
No. 15 UCLA
5
–
2
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
No. 19 Washington State
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Washington
4
–
3
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
California
3
–
4
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Oregon
2
–
5
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Stanford
2
–
5
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Oregon State
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
The 1972 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season . The Trojans won all twelve games and were consensus national champions .
Schedule [ ] Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance September 9 at No. 4 Arkansas * No. 8 War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR W 31–1054,461 September 16 Oregon State No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 51–656,305 September 23 at Illinois * No. 1 Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL W 55–2061,277 September 30 Michigan State * No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 51–663,934 October 7 at No. 15 Stanford No. 1 Stanford Stadium Palo Alto, CA (rivalry )W 30–2184,000 October 14 California No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 42–1456,488 October 21 No. 18 Washington No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 34–759,151 October 28 Oregon No. 1 W 18–032,000 November 4 vs. Washington State No. 1 W 44–346,000 November 18 at No. 14 UCLA No. 1 W 24–782,929 December 2 No. 10 Notre Dame * No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (Jeweled Shillelagh ) W 45–2375,243 January 1, 1973 vs. No. 3 Ohio State * No. 1 Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl )W 42–17106,869 *Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
Roster [ ] Sam Cunningham , RBMike Rae , QB/KCharle Young , TEPete Adams , TJeff Winans , DTJohn Grant , DEKarl Lorch , DTSource: [1] [2] Game summaries [ ] Arkansas [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• USC
0
3 14 14
31
Arkansas
3
0 0 7
10
Date: September 9Location: War Memorial Stadium , Little Rock, AR Game attendance: 54,461 Scoring summary Q1 ARK Bolton 27-yard field goal ARK 3–0 Q2 USC Rae 26-yard field goalTie 3–3 Q3 USC Rae 5-yard run (Rae kick) USC 10–3 Q3 USC McNeill 18-yard run (Rae kick)USC 17–3 Q4 USC McNeill 3-yard run (Rae kick) USC 24–3 Q4 ARK Richardson 1-yard run (Bolton kick) USC 24–10 Q4 USC Cunningham 18-yard run (Rae kick)USC 31–10
Tailback Rod McNeill , who sat out the previous year with a hip injury, led the Trojans with 117 yards on 28 carries while Mike Rae , a backup for two seasons, completed 18 of 24 passes for 269 yards and in the second half completed nine straight passes at one point in his first start.
[3]
Oregon State [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Oregon St
0
6 0 0
6
• USC
7
13 17 14
51
Date: September 16Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , Los Angeles, CA Game attendance: 56,305 Scoring summary Q1 11:20 USC McNeill 14-yard run (Rae kick) USC 7–0 Q2 14:37 USC McNeill 2-yard run (Rae kick) USC 14–0 Q2 9:40 ORST Morris 10-yard run (kick failed) USC 14–6 Q2 7:35 USC McNeill 5-yard run (kick failed) USC 20–6 Q3 8:48 USC Rae 20-yard field goal USC 23–6 Q3 3:11 USC Young 37-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick) USC 30–6 Q3 1:32 USC McKay 3-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick) USC 37–6 Q4 4:19 USC Haden 10-yard run (Rae kick) USC 44–6 Q4 :55 USC Washmara 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 51–6
[4]
Anthony Davis 25 rushes, 206 yards [5]
Illinois [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• USC
7
13 15 20
55
Illinois
7
7 6 0
20
Date: September 23Location: Memorial Stadium , Champaign, IL Game attendance: 61,277 Scoring summary Q1 4:26 ILL Hayes 5-yard run (Rucks kick) ILL 7–0 Q1 USC Garrison 58-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 ILL Uremovich 5-yard run (Rucks kick) ILL 14–7 Q2 USC Davis 2-yard run (Rae kick) Tie 14–14 Q2 :21 USC McKay 31-yard pass from Rae (kick failed) USC 20–14 Q3 USC Davis 2-yard run (McKay pass from Davis) USC 28–14 Q3 ILL Hayes 1-yard run (run failed) USC 28–20 Q3 USC Cunningham 2-yard run (Rae kick) USC 35–20 Q4 USC Sims 35-yard blocked punt return (Rae kick) USC 42–20 Q4 USC McKay 6-yard pass from Haden (Rae kick) USC 49–20 Q4 USC Carter 1-yard run (kick failed) USC 55–20
[6] [7]
Michigan State [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Michigan St
0
6 0 0
6
• USC
14
7 3 27
51
Date: September 30Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , Los Angeles, CA Game attendance: 63,934 Scoring summary Q1 USC Swann 92-yard punt return (Rae kick)USC 7–0 Q1 USC McNeill 8-yard run (Rae kick)USC 14–0 Q2 USC McKay 9-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick)USC 21–0 Q2 MSU Werner 1-yard run (pass failed) USC 21–6 Q3 USC Rae 20-yard field goal USC 24–6 Q4 USC Wood 25-yard interception return (Rae kick)USC 31–6 Q4 USC Moore 9-yard pass from Haden (kick failed) USC 37–6 Q4 USC Carter 21-yard run (Limahelu kick) USC 44–6 Q4 USC Swann 30-yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick) USC 51–6
[8]
Stanford [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• USC
13
7 3 7
30
Stanford
10
3 0 8
21
Date: October 7Location: Stanford Stadium , Stanford, CA Game attendance: 84,000 Scoring summary Q1 STAN J. Ferguson recovered fumble in end zone (Garcia kick) STAN 7–0 Q1 USC Davis 8-yard run (Rae kick) Tie 7–7 Q1 STAN Garcia 49-yard field goal STAN 10–7 Q1 USC Cunningham 2-yard run (kick failed) USC 13–10 Q2 STAN Garcia 35-yard field goal Tie 13–13 Q2 USC Davis 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 20–13 Q3 USC Rae 37-yard field goal USC 23–13 Q4 5:40 USC Swann 4-yard pass from Haden (Rae kick) USC 30–13 Q4 STAN Cross 30-yard pass from Boryla (Stone pass from Boryla) USC 30–21
[9]
California [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
California
0
0 7 7
14
• USC
14
7 14 7
42
Date: October 14Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, California Game attendance: 56,488 Scoring summary 1 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 7-0 1 USC Rae 10-yard run (Rae kick) USC 14-0 2 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 21-0 3 CAL Schmidt 3-yard pass from Cruze (Wersching kick) USC 21-7 3 USC Rae 8-yard run (Rae kick) USC 28-7 3 USC Young 40-yard pass from Haden (Rae kick) USC 35-7 4 USC Young 9-yard pass from Haden (Rae kick) USC 42-7 4 CAL Youngblood 1-yard run (Wersching kick) USC 42-14
[10]
Washington [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Washington
0
0 0 7
7
• USC
7
13 14 0
34
Date: October 21Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , Los Angeles, CA Game attendance: 59,151 Scoring summary Q1 USC Cunningham 2-yard run (Rae kick) USC 7–0 Q2 USC Davis 44-yard run (Rae kick) USC 14–0 Q2 USC Rae 22-yard field goal USC 17–0 Q2 USC Rae 26-yard field goal USC 20–0 Q3 USC Davis 14-yard run (Rae kick) USC 27–0 Q3 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 34–0 Q4 WASH Fitzpatrick 10-yard run (Wiezbowski kick) USC 34–7
[11]
Oregon [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• USC
0
0 12 6
18
Oregon
0
0 0 0
0
Date: October 28Location: Autzen Stadium , Eugene, OR Game attendance: 32,000 Scoring summary Q3 6:06 USC Davis 48-yard run USC 6–0 Q3 3:58 USC Davis 55-yard run USC 12–0 Q4 5:45 USC Cunningham 2-yard run USC 18–0
On a very rainy and cold day, the Trojans were held to their lowest score of the season.
[12]
Washington State [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• USC
3
14 7 20
44
Washington State
3
0 0 0
3
Date: November 4Location: Husky Stadium , Seattle, WA Scoring summary 1 USC Rae 23-yard field goal USC 3-0 1 WSU Danelo 50-yard field goal Tied 3-3 2 USC Rae 11-yard run (Rae kick) USC 10-3 2 USC Davis 3-yard run (Rae kick) USC 17-3 3 USC Davis 6-yard run (Rae kick) USC 24-3 4 USC Davis 14-yard run (Rae kick) USC 31-3 4 USC Moore 1-yard run (kick failed) USC 37-3 4 USC Powell 21-yard interception return (Rae kick) USC 44-3
[13]
UCLA [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• USC
10
7 7 0
24
UCLA
7
0 0 0
7
Date: November 18Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , Los Angeles, CA Game attendance: 82,929 Scoring summary Q1 USC Rae 32-yard field goal USC 3–0 Q1 USC Davis 23-yard run (Rae kick) USC 10–0 Q1 UCLA McAlister 2-yard run (Herrera kick) USC 10–7 Q2 USC McNeill 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 17–7 Q3 USC Rae 7-yard run (Rae kick) USC 24–7
Anthony Davis 25 Rush, 178 Yds
[14]
Notre Dame [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Notre Dame
3
7 13 0
23
• USC
19
0 13 13
45
Date: December 2Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , Los Angeles, CA Game attendance: 75,243 Scoring summary 1 USC Davis 97-yard kickoff return (kick failed) USC 6-0 1 ND Thomas 45-yard field goal USC 6-3 1 USC Davis 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 13-3 1 USC Davis 5-yard run (kick failed) USC 19-3 2 ND W. Townsend 5-yard pass from Clements (Thomas kick) USC 19-10 3 USC Davis 4-yard run (run failed) USC 25-10 3 ND Diminick 11-yard pass from Clements (Thomas kick) USC 25-17 3 ND Creaney 10-yard pass from Clements (pass failed) USC 25-23 4 USC Davis 96-yard kickoff return (Rae kick) USC 32-23 4 USC Davis 8-yard run (Rae kick) USC 39-23 4 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (kick failed) USC 45-23
[15]
Rose Bowl [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Ohio St
0
7 3 7
17
• USC
7
0 21 14
42
Date: January 1Location: Rose Bowl , Pasadena, CA Game attendance: 106,869 Scoring summary Q1 USC Swann 10-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick) USC 7–0 Q2 OHST Keith 1-yard run (Conway kick) Tie 7–7 Q3 USC Cunningham 2-yard run (Rae kick) USC 14–7 Q3 OHST Conway 21-yard field goal USC 14–10 Q3 USC Davis 20-yard run (Rae kick) USC 21–10 Q3 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 28–10 Q4 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 35–10 Q4 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 42–10 Q4 OHST Bledsoe 5-yard run (Conway kick) USC 42–17
John McKay 's 100th career victoryAnthony Davis 157 Rush YdsSam Cunningham set Rose Bowl scoring record (previous - 18 by three players)[16]
NFL Draft [ ] Ten Trojans were selected in the 1973 NFL Draft , with three in the first round.
List of USC Trojans in the NFL Draft References [ ]
^ "Starting lineups" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). October 28, 1972. p. 1B.^ "TV bowl rosters: Rose Bowl" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . January 1, 1973. p. 62.^ "Rae leads Southern Cal to 31-10 rout of Arkansas."
^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Sept 17.
^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement ^ "USC Buries Illinois." 1972 Sept 24.
^ "Trojans Rip Illinois." Palm Beach Post. 1972 Sept 24.
^ "Top-rated Trojans blitz Sparts, 51–6." Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Oct 1.
^ "USC gets revenge as Cards halted." Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Oct 8.
^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Oct 15.
^ "Trojans overpower Washington by 34-7." Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Oct 22.
^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Oct 29.
^ "Eugene Register-Guard - Google News Archive Search" .^ "Trojans roll past Bruins, 24-7." Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Nov 19.
^ "Davis' spree leads USC to 45-23 rout." Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Dec 3.
^ "It's 'bring on Miami' after USC wins easily." Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Jan 2.
External links [ ]
Venues
Athletic Park (1895–98)Fiesta Park (1897–98, 1902, 1904–06, 1916)Chutes Park (1900)Prager Park (1903)
Bovard Field (1904–10, 1914–15, 1917–22)Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1923–present)Jones Field/Kennedy Field (practice) Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
1936–1949 1950s 1960s
1960 Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF ) / Ole Miss (FWAA) 1961 Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA) 1962 USC 1963 Texas 1964 Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF) 1965 Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF) 1966 Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF) 1967 USC 1968 Ohio State 1969 Texas 1970s
1970 Nebraska (AP, FWAA) / Texas (NFF, Coaches) / Ohio State (NFF) 1971 Nebraska 1972 USC 1973 Notre Dame (AP, FWAA, NFF) / Alabama (Coaches) 1974 Oklahoma (AP) / USC (FWAA, NFF, Coaches) 1975 Oklahoma 1976 Pittsburgh 1977 Notre Dame 1978 Alabama (AP, FWAA, NFF) / USC (Coaches) 1979 Alabama 1980–1991
1980 Georgia 1981 Clemson 1982 Penn State 1983 Miami (FL) 1984 BYU 1985 Oklahoma 1986 Penn State 1987 Miami (FL) 1988 Notre Dame 1989 Miami (FL) 1990 Colorado (AP, FWAA, NFF, USAT /CNN ) / Georgia Tech (Coaches) 1991 Miami (FL) (AP) / Washington (Coaches, FWAA, UPI /NFF)
Pacific Coast AAWU Pacific-8
USC (1968)USC (1969)Stanford (1970)Stanford (1971)USC USC (1973)USC California & UCLA (1975)USC (1976)Washington (1977) Pacific-10
USC USC (1979)Washington (1980)Washington (1981)UCLA (1982)UCLA (1983)USC (1984)UCLA (1985)Arizona State (1986)USC & UCLA (1987)USC (1988)USC (1989)Washington (1990)Washington Washington & Stanford (1992)Arizona , UCLA , & USC (1993)Oregon (1994)USC & Washington (1995)Arizona State (1996)UCLA & Washington State (1997)UCLA (1998)Stanford (1999)Oregon , Oregon State , & Washington (2000)Oregon (2001)USC & Washington State (2002)USC USC USC (2005) vacatedCalifornia & USC (2006)Arizona State & USC (2007)USC (2008)Oregon (2009)Oregon (2010) Pac-12 National championships in bold
