American college football season
1979 USC Trojans football |
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Conference | Pacific-10 Conference |
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Ranking |
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Coaches | No. 2 |
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AP | No. 2 |
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Record | 11–0–1 (6–0–1 Pac-10) |
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Head coach | - John Robinson (4th season)
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Captains | - Dennis Johnson
- Charles White
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Home stadium | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
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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 |
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- $ – 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 | Source |
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September 8 | at Texas Tech* | No. 1 | | | W 21–7 | 52,991 | |
September 15 | at Oregon State | No. 1 | | ONTV | W 42–5 | 32,000 | |
September 22 | Minnesota* | No. 1 | | | W 48–14 | 61,766 | |
September 29 | at No. 20 LSU* | No. 1 | | | W 17–12 | 78,322 | [5] |
October 6 | Washington State | No. 1 | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA
| | W 50–21 | 55,117 | |
October 13 | Stanford | No. 1 | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)
| | T 21–21 | 76,067 | |
October 20 | at No. 9 Notre Dame* | No. 4 | | ABC | W 42–23 | 59,075 | |
October 27 | at California | No. 3 | | | W 24–14 | 76,780 | |
November 3 | Arizona | No. 3 | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA
| | W 34–7 | 62,054 | |
November 10 | at No. 15 Washington | No. 4 | | ABC | W 24–17 | 60,527 | |
November 24 | UCLA | No. 4 | - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Los Angeles, CA (Victory Bell)
| KABC | W 49–14 | 88,214 | |
January 1 | vs. No. 1 Ohio State* | No. 3 | | NBC | W 17–16 | 105,526 | |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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Game summaries
At Texas Tech
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.[6]
Minnesota
At LSU
Washington State
Stanford
- Charles White 32 rushes, 221 yards [7]
At Notre Dame
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 [8]
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At California
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
- USC – Paul McDonald – 15/35, 212 yards, TD
- CAL – Rich Campbell – 24/40, 266 yards, TD
- 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
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Arizona
At Washington
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[11]
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Vs. UCLA
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
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Rose Bowl (vs. Ohio State)
- Charles White 39 rushes, 247 yards[13]
Personnel
1979 USC Trojans football team roster |
Players | Coaches |
Offense | Defense | 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
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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[14]
- Charles White, Maxwell Award
- Charles White, Walter Camp Award
References
- ^ "2017 Media Guide" (PDF). thesundevils.com. ASU Athletics. p. 127. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- ^ "Southern California Yearly Results (1975-1979)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ "1979 Southern California Trojans Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ "For 59 minutes USC isn't even No. 1 in Baton Rouge". The Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1979 Sept 16. Page 2C. Retrieved 2021-Sep-12.
- ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement
- ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement
- ^ "Late scores sends Trojans past Bears." Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Oct 28. Retrieved 2021-Sep-24.
- ^ "USC Wins Bowl Berth Unless...". The Register-Guard. Eugene. November 11, 1979.
- ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement
- ^ "SC Gets Roses, White Wants Trophy." Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 25. Retrieved 2020-Oct-01.
- ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement
- ^ "Heisman.com - Heisman Trophy". Archived from the original on April 11, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2007.
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |
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Pacific Coast | |
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AAWU | |
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Pacific-8 | |
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Pacific-10 | |
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Pac-12 | |
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National championships in bold |