American college football season
1970 USC Trojans football |
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Conference | Pacific-8 Conference |
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Ranking |
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Coaches | No. 19 |
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AP | No. 15 |
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Record | 6–4–1 (3–4 Pac-8) |
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Head coach | |
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Captain | Bob Chandler Charlie Weaver |
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Home stadium | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
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Seasons |
The 1970 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. In their 11th year under head coach John McKay, the Trojans compiled a 6–4–1 record (3–4 against conference opponents), finished in a tie for sixth place in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8), and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 343 to 233.[1] The team was ranked #15 in the final AP Poll and #19 in the final Coaches Poll.
On September 12, 1970, USC opened the season visiting the University of Alabama under coach Bear Bryant and became the first fully integrated team to play in the State of Alabama.[2] The game, scheduled by Bryant, resulted in a 42–21 win for the Trojans. More importantly, all six touchdowns scored by USC team were by African-American players, two by USC running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham, against an all-white Crimson Tide team.[3] The game hastened the racial integration of football at Alabama and in the American South.[2][4]
Jimmy Jones led the team in passing, completing 121 of 234 passes for 1,877 yards with 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Clarence Davis led the team in rushing with 214 carries for 972 yards and nine touchdowns. Bob Chandler led the team in receiving with 41 catches for 590 yards and three touchdowns.[5]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 12 | vs. No. 16 Alabama* | No. 3 | | W 42–21 | 72,175 | [6][7] |
September 19 | No. 9 Nebraska* | No. 3 | | T 21–21 | 73,768 | |
September 26 | at Iowa* | No. 7 | | W 48–0 | 56,131 | |
October 3 | Oregon State | No. 5 | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA
| W 45–13 | 57,769 | |
October 10 | at No. 12 Stanford | No. 4 | | L 14–24 | 86,000 | |
October 17 | Washington | No. 11 | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA
| W 28–25 | 56,166 | |
October 24 | at Oregon | No. 10 | | L 7–10 | 34,000 | |
October 31 | California | No. 18 | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA
| L 10–13 | 54,750 | |
November 7 | vs. Washington State | | | W 70–33 | 14,500 | |
November, 21 | at UCLA | | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA (Victory Bell)
| L 20–45 | 78,773 | |
November, 28 | No. 4 Notre Dame* | | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)
| W 38–28 | 64,694 | |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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Personnel
1970 USC Trojans football team roster |
Players | Coaches |
Offense | Defense Pos. | # | Name | Class | DL | | Ken Carter | DB | | Bruce Dyer | DB | | Walt Failor | DE | 94 | John Grant | So | DL | | John Grissum | DE | 83 | Willie Hall | Sr | LB | | Mike Haluchak | DB | | Tyrone Hudson | LB | | John Papadakis | LB | | Ron Preston | DL | | John Skiles | LB | | Greg Slough | DT | 93 | Tody Smith | Sr | DB | 46 | Skip Thomas | Jr | DB | | Curt Timmons | DL | 84 | Charlie Weaver (C) | Sr | | Special teams Pos. | # | Name | Class | K | | Ron Ayala | | - Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- Injured
- Redshirt
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Game summaries
Alabama
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • USC | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 42 | Alabama | 0 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 21 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | USC | Cunningham 22-yard run (kick failed) | USC 6-0 | | 1 | | USC | Cunningham 4-yard run (pass failed) | USC 12-0 | | 2 | | USC | Ayala 32-yard field goal | USC 15-0 | | 2 | | ALA | Musso 1-yard run (Clemny kick) | USC 15-7 | | 2 | | USC | Evans 7-yard run (Ayala kick) | USC 22-7 | | 3 | | USC | Davis 23-yard pass from Jones (Ayala kick) | USC 29-7 | | 3 | | USC | Ayala 25-yard field goal | USC 32-7 | | 3 | | ALA | Bailey 6-yard pass from Hayden (kick failed) | USC 32-13 | | 4 | | USC | Ayala 27-yard field goal | USC 35-13 | | 4 | | USC | Holland 6-yard pass from Rae (Ayala kick) | USC 42-13 | | 4 | | ALA | Musso 1-yard run (Hunter to Ceav pass) | USC 42-21 | |
Nebraska
Iowa
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | • USC | 7 | 27 | 14 | 0 | 48 | Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | USC | Jones 1-yard run (Ayala kick) | USC 7-0 | | 2 | | USC | Davis 3-yard run (Ayala kick) | USC 14-0 | | 2 | | USC | Jones 8-yard run (kick failed) | USC 20-0 | | 2 | | USC | Chandler 9-yard pass from Jones (Dickerson pass from Jones) | USC 28-0 | | 2 | | USC | Rae 4-yard run (run failed) | USC 34-0 | | 3 | | USC | Harris 1-yard run (Ayala kick) | USC 41-0 | | 3 | | USC | McNeill 4-yard run (Ayala kick) | USC 48-0 | |
[8]
Oregon State
Jimmy Jones 15/21, 304 Yds, 3 TD, rush TD
[9]
Notre Dame
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Notre Dame | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | • USC | 21 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 38 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | ND | Theismann 25-yard run (Hempel kick) | ND 7-0 | | 1 | | USC | Davis 3-yard run (Ayala kick) | Tied 7-7 | | 1 | | USC | Davis 5-yard run (kick failed) | USC 13-7 | | 1 | | USC | Dickerson 45-yard pass from Jones (Jones to Chandler pass) | USC 21-7 | | 2 | | ND | Cieszkowski 9-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick) | USC 21-14 | | 2 | | USC | Ayala 19-yard field goal | USC 24-14 | | 3 | | USC | Adams recovered fumble in end zone (Ayala kick) | USC 31-14 | | 3 | | USC | Vella recovered fumble in end zone (Ayala kick) | USC 38-14 | | 3 | | ND | Parker 46-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick) | USC 38-21 | | 4 | | ND | Theismann 1-yard run (Hempel kick) | USC 38-28 | |
[10]
1970 team players in the NFL
The following players were claimed in the 1971 NFL draft.
[11]
References
- ^ "Southern California Yearly Results (1970-1974)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ a b Yaeger, Don; Sam Cunningham; John Papadakis (September 1, 2006). Turning of the Tide: How One Game Changed the South. Center Street. ISBN 1-931722-94-3.
- ^ Robbins, Lenn (August 26, 2007). "Trojans Have Horses". New York Post. Retrieved August 26, 2007.
- ^ Forde, Pat (August 28, 2007). "The Dash Is Off and Running". ESPN. Retrieved August 28, 2007.
- ^ "1970 Southern California Trojans Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ^ Land, Charles (September 13, 1970). "Tough Trojans top Tide, 42–21". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 1. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ^ Thomas, Ronnie (September 13, 1970). "Tide drubbed 42–21 by USC". The Florence Times. p. 17. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ^ "Trojans Roll Past Iowa". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. September 27, 1970.
- ^ "Jimmy Jones quiets critics by passing USC past OSU". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. October 4, 1970.
- ^ "Trojans Down Irish by 38-28". The Register-Guard. Eugene. November 29, 1970.
- ^ "1970 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
External links
- Game program: USC vs. Washington State at Spokane – November 7, 1970
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