American college football season
1979 USC Trojans football Conference Pacific-10 Conference Coaches No. 2 AP No. 2 1979 record 11–0–1 (6–0–1 Pac-10) Head coach Captains
Dennis Johnson
Charles White
Home stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (c. 94,500, grass)Seasons
1979 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 2 USC $
6
–
0
–
1
11
–
0
–
1
No. 11 Washington
5
–
2
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
Arizona
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
1
Oregon
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
California
5
–
4
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
Stanford
3
–
3
–
1
5
–
5
–
1
Arizona State †
3
–
4
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
UCLA
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Washington State
2
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Oregon State
1
–
7
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
$ – Conference champion † – Arizona State later forfeited 5 wins (3 in conference) due to NCAA sanctions[1] Rankings from AP Poll
The 1979 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season . In their fourth year under head coach John Robinson , the Trojans compiled an 11–0–1 record (6–0–1 against conference opponents), won the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 389 to 171.[2] The team was ranked #2 in both the final AP Poll and the final UPI Coaches Poll.
Quarterback Paul McDonald led the team in passing, completing 164 of 264 passes for 2,223 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. Charles White led the team in rushing with 332 carries for 2,050 yards and 19 touchdowns. Dan Garcia led the team in receiving with 29 catches for 492 yards and three touchdowns.[3]
The team was named national champion by the College Football Researchers Association , an NCAA-designated major selector.[4] : 114
Schedule [ ]
Date Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance September 8 at Texas Tech * No. 1 W 21–752,991
September 15 at Oregon State No. 1 Parker Stadium Corvallis, OR ONTV W 42–532,000
September 22 Minnesota * No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 48–1461,766
September 29 at No. 20 LSU * No. 1 Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA W 17–1278,322
October 6 Washington State No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 50–2155,117
October 13 Stanford No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry ) T 21–2176,067
October 20 at No. 9 Notre Dame * No. 4 ABC W 42–2359,075
October 27 at California No. 3 California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA W 24–1476,780
November 3 Arizona No. 3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 34–762,054
November 10 at No. 15 Washington No. 4 ABC W 24–1760,527
November 24 UCLA No. 4 KABC W 49–1488,214
January 1 vs. No. 1 Ohio State * No. 3 NBC W 17–16105,526
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
Season summary [ ]
at Texas Tech [ ]
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at Oregon State [ ]
Paul McDonald completed eight of nine passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in just one half of action while Charles White watched from the sidelines with an injured shoulder. McDonald led the Trojans to touchdowns on their first five possessions before he and the rest of USC starters sat for the second half. [5]
Minnesota [ ]
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at LSU [ ]
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Washington State [ ]
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Stanford [ ]
Charles White 32 rushes, 221 yards [6]
at Notre Dame [ ]
#4 USC Trojans (5–0–1) at #9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4–1)
1
2
3 4 Total
USC
0
7
14 21 42
Notre Dame
0
7
7 9 23
at Notre Dame Stadium , South Bend, Indiana
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
USC – Garcia 12-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick). USC 7–0.
ND – Ferguson 1-yard run (Male kick). Tie 7–7.
Third quarter
USC – White 3-yard run (Hipp kick). USC 14–7
USC – White 1-yard run (Hipp kick). USC 21–7.
ND – Ferguson 21-yard run (Male kick). USC 21–14.
Fourth quarter
USC – Williams 12-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick). USC 28–14.
ND – Stone 2-yard run (kick failed). USC 28–20.
USC – White 1-yard run (Hipp kick). USC 35–20.
USC – White 1-yard run (Hipp kick). USC 42–20.
ND – Male 42-yard field goal. USC 42–23.
Top rushers
USC – Charles White – 44 rushes, 261 yards, 4 TD [7]
at California [ ]
#3 USC Trojans (6–0–1) at California Golden Bears (4–3)
at California Memorial Stadium , Berkeley, California
Date : October 27Game attendance : 76,780[8]
Game information
First quarter
USC – James Hunter 3-yard pass from Paul McDonald (Eric Hipp kick). USC 7–0.
Second quarter
CAL – Darnell Chapman 74-yard blocked field goal return (Mick Luckhurst kick). Tie 7–7.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
USC – Charles White 2-yard run (Eric Hipp kick). USC 14–7.
CAL – Matt Bouza 13-yard pass from Rich Campbell (Mick Luckhurst kick), 5:24. Tie 14–14.
USC – Eric Hipp 45-yard field goal, 2:46. USC 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards.
USC – Charles White 5-yard run (Eric Hipp kick), 0:02. USC 24–7.
Top passers
Top rushers
USC – Charles White – 44 rushes, 198 yards, 2 TD
CAL – Paul Jones – 13 rushes, 36 yards
Top receivers
USC – Ray Butler – 4 receptions, 56 yards
CAL – Matt Bouza – 7 receptions, 101 yards, TD
Arizona [ ]
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at Washington [ ]
#4 USC Trojans (8–0–1) at #15 Washington Huskies (7–2)
1
2
3 4 Total
USC
0
10
7 7 24
Washington
3
0
7 7 17
at Husky Stadium , Seattle, Washington
Date : November 10Game attendance : 60,527TV announcers (ABC ) : Keith Jackson & Frank Broyles [9]
Game information
First quarter
WASH – Lansford 30-yard field goal. Washington 3–0.
Second quarter
USC – Garcia 8-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick). USC 7–3.
USC – Hipp 31-yard field goal. USC 10–3.
Third quarter
USC – K. Williams 19-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick). USC 17–3.
WASH – Flick 1-yard run (Lansford kick). USC 17–10.
Fourth quarter
WASH – Skansi 12-yard pass from Flick (Lansford kick). Tie 17–17.
USC – M. Allen 10-yard run (Hipp kick). USC 24–17.
Top rushers
USC – Charles White – 38 rushes, 243 yards[10]
vs. UCLA [ ]
UCLA Bruins (5–5) vs. #4 USC Trojans (9–0–1)
1
2
3 4 Total
UCLA
0
0
7 7 14
USC
14
21
7 7 49
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , Los Angeles, California
Date : November 24Game attendance : 88,214[11]
Game information
First quarter
USC – Charles White 2-yard run (Eric Hipp kick). USC 7–0.
USC – Ronnie Lott 30-yard interception return (Eric Hipp kick). USC 14–0.
Second quarter
USC – Charles White 1-yard run (Eric Hipp kick). USC 21–0.
USC – Charles White 26-yard run (Eric Hipp kick). USC 28–0.
USC – Charles White 2-yard run (Eric Hipp kick). USC 35–0.
Third quarter
UCLA – Jo-Jo Townsell 79-yard pass from Rick Bashore (Peter Boermeester kick). USC 35–7.
USC – Vic Rakhshani 5-yard pass from Paul McDonald (Eric Hipp kick). USC 42–7.
Fourth quarter
UCLA – Jo-Jo Townsell 5-yard pass from Rick Bashore (Peter Boermeester kick). USC 42–14.
USC – Michael Hayes 54-yard run (Eric Hipp kick). USC 49–14.
Top passers
UCLA – Rick Bashore – 9/17, 224 yards, 2 TD, INT
USC – Paul McDonald – 17/23, 199 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
UCLA – Freeman McNeil – 30 rushes, 120 yards
USC – Charles White – 35 rushes, 194 yards, 4 TD
Top receivers
UCLA – Jo-Jo Townsell – 5 receptions, 129 yards, 2 TD
USC – Rod Garcia – 3 receptions, 42 yards
Rose Bowl (vs. Ohio State) [ ]
Charles White 39 rushes, 247 yards[12]
Personnel [ ]
1979 USC Trojans football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
RB
33
Marcus Allen
So
TE
89
Hoby Brenner
Jr
OG
71
Brad Budde
Sr
WR
86
Ray Butler
Sr
RB
Paul DiLulo
C
68
Chris Foote
Sr
OG
64
Roy Foster
So
WR
Dan Garcia
RB
Anthony Gibson
RB
Michael Harper
RB
Michael Hayes
TE
85
James Hunter
Jr
RB
Ricky Johnson
RB
Doug MacKenzie
C
66
Bruce Matthews
Fr
QB
16
Paul McDonald
Sr
WR
Malcolm Moore
OT
72
Don Mosebar
Fr
OT
77
Anthony Muñoz
Sr
WR
26
Danny Garcia
Sr
WR
Vic Rakhshani
QB
Scott Tinsley
OT
68
Keith Van Horne
Jr
RB
12
Charles White
Sr
WR
8
Kevin Williams
Jr
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
DL
George Achica
LB
51
Chip Banks
So
DT
94
Bryon Darby
Fr
S
47
Joey Browner
Fr
LB
54
Steve Busick
Jr
LB
87
August Curley
Fr
DL
Byron Darby
DL
Dennis Edwards
CB
40
Jeff Fisher
Jr
LB
Riki Gray
LB
56
Dennis Johnson
Sr
DT
96
Myron Lapka
Sr
S
42
Ronnie Lott
Jr
LB
58
Mike McDonald
Sr
LB
57
Larry McGrew
Sr
DB
Kenney Moore
LB
81
Eric Scoggins
Jr
DB
49
Dennis Smith
Jr
DL
Ty Sperling
DT
93
Kelly Thomas
Fr
DB
23
Herb Ward
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
K
Eric Hipp
P
Dave Pryor
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
1979 Team Players in the NFL [ ]
Marcus Allen
Chip Banks
Hoby Brenner
Joey Browner
Brad Budde
Steve Busick
Ray Butler
Dennis Johnson
Myron Lapka
Ronnie Lott
Jeff Fisher
Chris Foote
Roy Foster
Bruce Matthews
Paul McDonald
Larry McGrew
Don Mosebar
Anthony Muñoz
Eric Scoggins
Dennis Smith
Keith Van Horne
Charles White
Awards and honors [ ]
Brad Budde , Lombardi Award
Charles White, Heisman Trophy[13]
Charles White, Maxwell Award
Charles White, Walter Camp Award
References [ ]
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
Pacific Coast AAWU Pacific-8 Pacific-10
USC (1978)
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 (1991)
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 (2003)
USC (2004) vacated
USC (2005) vacated
California & USC (2006)
Arizona State & USC (2007)
USC (2008)
Oregon (2009)
Oregon (2010)
Pac-12 National championships in bold