1972_USC_Trojans_football_team
1972 USC Trojans football team
American college football season
The 1972 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. The Trojans won all 12 of their games and were consensus national champions.
Quick Facts USC Trojans football, Consensus national championPac-8 championRose Bowl champion ...
1972 USC Trojans football | |
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Consensus national champion Pac-8 champion Rose Bowl champion | |
Rose Bowl, W 42–17 vs. Ohio State | |
Conference | Pacific-8 Conference |
Ranking | |
Coaches | No. 1 |
AP | No. 1 |
Record | 12–0 (7–0 Pac-8) |
Head coach |
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Captains | |
Home stadium | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Seasons |
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More information Conf, Overall ...
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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More information Date, Opponent ...
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
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September 9 | at No. 4 Arkansas* | No. 8 | W 31–10 | 54,461 | |
September 16 | Oregon State | No. 1 | W 51–6 | 56,305 | |
September 23 | at Illinois* | No. 1 | W 55–20 | 61,277 | |
September 30 | Michigan State* | No. 1 |
| W 51–6 | 63,934 |
October 7 | at No. 15 Stanford | No. 1 | W 30–21 | 84,000 | |
October 14 | California | No. 1 |
| W 42–14 | 56,488 |
October 21 | No. 18 Washington | No. 1 |
| W 34–7 | 59,151 |
October 28 | Oregon | No. 1 | W 18–0 | 32,000 | |
November 4 | vs. Washington State | No. 1 | W 44–3 | 46,000 | |
November 18 | at No. 14 UCLA | No. 1 |
| W 24–7 | 82,929 |
December 2 | No. 10 Notre Dame* | No. 1 |
| W 45–23 | 75,243 |
January 1, 1973 | vs. No. 3 Ohio State* | No. 1 | W 42–17 | 106,869 | |
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More information Players, Coaches ...
1972 USC Trojans football team roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Main article: 1972 NCAA University Division football rankings
More information Week, Poll ...
Week | |||||||||||||||
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
AP | 8 | 1 (13) | 1 (28) | 1 (28) | 1 (36) | 1 (34) | 1(28) | 1 (44) | 1 (41) | 1 (40) | 1 (42) | 1 (44) | 1 (46) | 1 (50) | 1 (50) |
Coaches | 8 | 2 (11) | 1 (14) | 1 (20) | 1 (22) | 1 (21) | 1 (22) | 1 (32) | 1 (31) | 1 (27) | 1 (31) | 1 (31) | 1 (31) | 1 (35) | Not released |
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At No. 4 Arkansas
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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]
See also: 1972 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
Oregon State
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See also: 1972 Oregon State Beavers football team
- Anthony Davis 25 rushes, 206 yards [5]
At Illinois
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Michigan State
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At No. 15 Stanford
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See also: 1972 Stanford Cardinals football team
California
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No. 18 Washington
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Oregon
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See also: 1972 Oregon Webfoots football team
On a very rainy and cold day, the Trojans were held to their lowest score of the season.
Washington State
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At No. 14 UCLA
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Anthony Davis 25 Rush, 178 Yds
No. 10 Notre Dame
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Vs. No. 3 Ohio State (Rose Bowl)
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Main article: 1973 Rose Bowl
See also: 1972 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
- John McKay's 100th career victory
- Anthony Davis 157 Rush Yds
- Sam Cunningham set Rose Bowl scoring record (previous - 18 by three players)
Ten Trojans were selected in the 1973 NFL Draft, with three in the first round.
- "Starting lineups". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). October 28, 1972. p. 1B.
- "TV bowl rosters: Rose Bowl". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 1, 1973. p. 62.
- "U.S.C. Turns Back Arkansas, 31-10". The New York Times. September 10, 1972. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
- Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Sept 17.
- "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.
- Cawood, Neil (October 29, 1972). "Ducks, Fouts kayoed by Trojans". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1C.
- "Davis leads Southern Cal past Oregon". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. October 29, 1972. p. D-8.
- "Ducks stubborn, but finally fall". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. October 30, 1972. p. 9.
- "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.
- Game program: #1 USC vs. Washington State at Seattle – November 4, 1972