1972 USC Trojans football team

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 twelve of their games, outscored their opponents 467–134, and were consensus national champions.

1972 USC Trojans football
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	John McKay (13th season)
Captains	Sam Cunningham John Grant
Home stadium	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Seasons ← 1971 1973 →

1972 Pacific-8 Conference football standings

v t e	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
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 9	at No. 4 Arkansas*	No. 8	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR	W 31–10	54,461	[1]
September 16	Oregon State	No. 1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 51–6	56,305
September 23	at Illinois*	No. 1	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	W 55–20	61,277
September 30	Michigan State*	No. 1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 51–6	63,934
October 7	at No. 15 Stanford	No. 1	Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA (rivalry)	W 30–21	84,000
October 14	California	No. 1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 42–14	56,488
October 21	No. 18 Washington	No. 1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 34–7	59,151
October 28	at Oregon	No. 1	Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR	W 18–0	32,000
November 4	vs. Washington State	No. 1	Husky Stadium Seattle, WA	W 44–3	46,000
November 18	at No. 14 UCLA	No. 1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (Victory Bell)	W 24–7	82,929
December 2	No. 10 Notre Dame*	No. 1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)	W 45–23	75,243
January 1, 1973	vs. No. 3 Ohio State*	No. 1	Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)	W 42–17	106,869
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Rankings

Main article: 1972 NCAA University Division football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes

	Week
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

Game summaries

At No. 4 Arkansas

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 8 Trojans 0 3 14 14 31 No. 4 Razorbacks 3 0 0 7 10 Date: September 9 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, AR Game attendance: 54,461

Scoring summary 1 ARK Bolton 27-yard field goal ARK 3–0 2 USC Rae 26-yard field goal Tie 3–3 3 USC Rae 5-yard run (Rae kick) USC 10–3 USC McNeill 18-yard run (Rae kick) USC 17–3 4 USC McNeill 3-yard run (Rae kick) USC 24–3 ARK Richardson 1-yard run (Bolton kick) USC 24–10 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.^[2]

See also: 1972 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

Oregon State

1 2 3 4 Total Beavers 0 6 0 0 6 • No. 1 Trojans 7 13 17 14 51 Date: September 16 Location: 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

See also: 1972 Oregon State Beavers football team

^[3]

• Anthony Davis 25 rushes, 206 yards ^[4]

At Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 1 Trojans 7 13 15 20 55 Fighting Illini 7 7 6 0 20 Date: September 23 Location: 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

See also: 1972 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

^[5][6]

Michigan State

1 2 3 4 Total Spartans 0 6 0 0 6 • No. 1 Trojans 14 7 3 27 51 Date: September 30 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA Game attendance: 63,934

Scoring summary 1 USC Swann 92-yard punt return (Rae kick) USC 7–0 USC McNeill 8-yard run (Rae kick) USC 14–0 2 USC McKay 9-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick) USC 21–0 MSU Werner 1-yard run (pass failed) USC 21–6 3 USC Rae 20-yard field goal USC 24–6 4 USC Wood 25-yard interception return (Rae kick) USC 31–6 USC Moore 9-yard pass from Haden (kick failed) USC 37–6 USC Carter 21-yard run (Limahelu kick) USC 44–6 USC Swann 30-yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick) USC 51–6

See also: 1972 Michigan State Spartans football team

^[7]

At No. 15 Stanford

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 1 Trojans 13 7 3 7 30 No. 15 Cardinals 10 3 0 8 21 Date: October 7 Location: 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

See also: 1972 Stanford Cardinals football team

^[8]

California

1 2 3 4 Total Golden Bears 0 0 7 7 14 • No. 1 Trojans 14 7 14 7 42 Date: October 14 Location: 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

^[9]

No. 18 Washington

1 2 3 4 Total Huskies 0 0 0 7 7 • No. 1 Trojans 7 13 14 0 34 Date: October 21 Location: 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

^[10]

At Oregon

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 1 Trojans 0 0 12 6 18 Webfoots 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 28 Location: 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

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.

^[11][12][13]

Washington State

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 1 Trojans 3 14 7 20 44 Cougars 3 0 0 0 3 Date: November 4 Location: 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

^[14]

At No. 14 UCLA

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 1 Trojans 10 7 7 0 24 No. 14 Bruins 7 0 0 0 7 Date: November 18 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA Game attendance: 82,929 TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson

Scoring summary 1 USC Rae 32-yard field goal USC 3–0 USC Davis 23-yard run (Rae kick) USC 10–0 UCLA McAlister 2-yard run (Herrera kick) USC 10–7 2 USC McNeill 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 17–7 3 USC Rae 7-yard run (Rae kick) USC 24–7

Anthony Davis 25 Rush, 178 Yds

^[15]

No. 10 Notre Dame

1 2 3 4 Total No. 10 Fighting Irish 3 7 13 0 23 • No. 1 Trojans 19 0 13 13 45 Date: December 2 Location: 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 ND Thomas 45-yard field goal USC 6-3 USC Davis 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 13-3 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 ND Diminick 11-yard pass from Clements (Thomas kick) USC 25-17 ND Creaney 10-yard pass from Clements (pass failed) USC 25-23 4 USC Davis 96-yard kickoff return (Rae kick) USC 32-23 USC Davis 8-yard run (Rae kick) USC 39-23 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (kick failed) USC 45-23

^[16]

Vs. No. 3 Ohio State (Rose Bowl)

1 2 3 4 Total No. 3 Buckeyes 0 7 3 7 17 • No. 1 Trojans 7 0 21 14 42 Date: January 1 Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA Game attendance: 106,869

Scoring summary 1 USC Swann 10-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick) USC 7–0 2 OHST Keith 1-yard run (Conway kick) Tie 7–7 3 USC Cunningham 2-yard run (Rae kick) USC 14–7 OHST Conway 21-yard field goal USC 14–10 USC Davis 20-yard run (Rae kick) USC 21–10 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 28–10 Q4 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 35–10 USC Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick) USC 42–10 OHST Bledsoe 5-yard run (Conway kick) USC 42–17

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)

^[17]

Roster

1972 USC Trojans football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class QB 10 Pat Haden So QB 6 Mike Rae Sr RB Allen Carter So RB 39 Sam Cunningham Sr RB 28 Anthony Davis So RB 27 Rod McNeill Jr WR 22 Lynn Swann Jr OT 77 Pete Adams Sr TE 89 Charle Young Sr	Defense Pos. # Name Class DE John Grant DT Karl Lorch DT Greg Marderian DT Jeff Winans	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 6 Mike Rae Sr	Head coach John McKay Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

^[18][19]

NFL draft

Ten Trojans were selected in the 1973 NFL draft, with three in the first round.