1973 Rose Bowl

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1973 Rose Bowl
59th Rose Bowl Game
National Championship Game
Ohio State Buckeyes USC Trojans
(9–1) (11–0)
Big Ten Pac-8
17 42
Head coach: 
Woody Hayes		 Head coach: 
John McKay
APCoaches
33
APCoaches
11
1234 Total
Ohio State 0737 17
USC 702114 42
DateJanuary 1, 1973
Season1972
StadiumRose Bowl
LocationPasadena, California
MVPSam Cunningham (USC RB)
FavoriteUSC by 14 points [1]
National anthemThe Ohio State University Marching Band
RefereePaul Kamanski (Pac-8)
(split crew: Pac-8, Big Ten)
Halftime showSpirit of Troy, The Ohio State University Marching Band
Attendance106,869 (Bowl game and stadium record)
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersCurt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis
Rose Bowl
 < 1972  1974 > 
College Football Championship Game
 < 1972 1973 (Dec) > 

The 1973 Rose Bowl was the 59th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Monday, January 1. It matched the undefeated and top-ranked USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Conference with the #3 Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference.[2][3][4][5]

USC running back Sam Cunningham scored four touchdowns in the second half and was named the Player of the Game, as the favored Trojans won 42–17.[2][6][7][8] They were unanimous national champions in both major polls, the first time in college football history.[9] (The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, in early December.)[10][11]

The attendance of 106,869 set the stadium record, as well as the NCAA bowl game record.[12][13]

Teams[edit]

See also: 1972 NCAA University Division football season

The national championship was on the line for #1 USC, and likely #3 Ohio State. Although #2 Oklahoma already had defeated Penn State in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Eve to finish their season 11–1, a convincing win in the Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes might well have swayed the voters to put Ohio State at #1.[14]

USC[edit]

Main article: 1972 USC Trojans football team

The USC Trojans won all eleven games in the 1972 regular season. Their opener against #4 Arkansas propelled them to the top of the polls, where they remained throughout the season. They had help from new head coach Pepper Rodgers' UCLA Bruins, who had defeated #1 Nebraska to start the season, led by junior college transfer quarterback Mark Harmon. The Trojans' closest contest was a 30–21 defeat of #15 Stanford. In the UCLA–USC rivalry game with the Rose Bowl on the line for both teams, the Bruins were outmatched by the Trojans 24–7. USC then soundly defeated Notre Dame 45–23 behind the six touchdowns of Anthony Davis.[15] Quarterbacking duties were shared by Mike Rae and Pat Haden. The Trojans were favored by two touchdowns in this Rose Bowl,[1] the first of three consecutive appearances, all against Ohio State.

Ohio State[edit]

Main article: 1972 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

This was the first year that freshmen were eligible for varsity football in the University Division (now FBS) due to the NCAA rescinding an earlier rule, and it was the first of four Rose Bowl appearances for freshman Archie Griffin. Ohio State had one loss at Michigan State, 19–12 on November 11. USC had demolished the Spartans 51–6 only five weeks earlier in a night game at the Coliseum. Against rival Michigan, the Rose Bowl was on the line for both teams; the Big Ten had rescinded its long-standing "no repeat" rule, so Michigan was eligible to play in the Rose Bowl for a second straight year, and the unbeaten Wolverines were a slight favorite over the Buckeyes in Columbus. However, Ohio State used a defensive goal line stand in the first half and another in the second half to beat #3 Michigan 14–11. The Buckeyes and Wolverines shared the Big Ten title, and the conference's athletic directors voted to give Ohio State the Rose Bowl bid. Because the Big Ten and Pac-8 did not yet permit teams to play in any postseason game except the Rose Bowl, the Wolverines stayed at home. The two conferences allowed multiple bowl teams starting with the 1975 season.

Game summary[edit]

At the half, the score was tied at seven. USC running back Sam Cunningham exploded for four touchdowns in the second half and Anthony Davis added another as the Trojans coasted to a 32-point lead. Ohio State scored a touchdown in the last minute and the final score was 42–17.[3][6][7] It was the fourth consecutive win for the Pac-8, but that streak ended in the next year's rematch.

Scoring[edit]

First quarter[edit]

Second quarter[edit]

  • OSU – Randy Keith 1-yard run (Blair Conway kick), 13:37

Third quarter[edit]

  • USC – Sam Cunningham 2-yard run (Rae kick), 12:18
  • OSU – Conway 21-yard field goal, 8:11
  • USC – Anthony Davis 20-yard run (Rae kick), 5:51
  • USC – Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick), 1:25

Fourth quarter[edit]

  • USC – Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick), 9:10
  • USC – Cunningham 1-yard run (Rae kick), 5:13
  • OSU – John Bledsoe 5 run (Conway kick), 0:34

Statistics[edit]

Statistics    Ohio   
State		   USC  
First downs 21 24
Rushes–yards 62–285 45–207
Passing yards 81 244
Passes 5–11–2 19–27–0
Total yards 366 451
Punts–average 5–36 4–41
Fumbles–lost 2–1 2–1
Turnovers by 3 1
Penalties–yards 2–7 6–48
Source:[6][7]

Aftermath[edit]

Rose Bowl records[edit]

Cunningham set three modern Rose Bowl records with four touchdowns in his final college football game. As of 2008, the records for touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and points scored have been matched by Eric Ball (1986), Ron Dayne (1999), and Vince Young (2006).

A Rose Bowl record for most points in a half at 45 was set in the second half (USC 35, Ohio State 10). This was later tied in 1999 (Wisconsin 24, UCLA 21) and surpassed by USC and Texas with 53 points in the second half in 2006.

The record attendance of this year was later approached, but never be matched again in the Rose Bowl. In 1998, the Rose Bowl stadium was renovated and had its seating capacity reduced, and was no longer the largest football stadium in the United States. As of the 2008 Rose Bowl game, the Rose Bowl game still draws the largest crowds of any post-season college football contest.

Ohio State–USC[edit]

This was the first of three Ohio State-USC matchups in the Rose Bowl in the 1970s. It was the first of four consecutive Rose Bowl appearances for the Buckeyes under head coach Woody Hayes and two-time Heisman trophy winner Archie Griffin. Prior to the game contest, Hayes pushed a camera into the face of a local news photographer,[3] screaming, "That'll take care of you, you son of a bitch." Hayes was ejected and left California with a subpoena.[16][17] The Buckeyes won the rematch the following year, the sole Rose Bowl victory for the Big Ten in the 1970s.

NFL players[edit]

The 1972 Trojans had 33 players selected in the next several NFL Drafts, including five first-round selections: Charle Young, Sam Cunningham, Pete Adams, Lynn Swann, and Steve Riley. The 1972 Trojan team was named one of the best teams of the Twentieth century. The Buckeyes had eight eventual NFL first round selections: Tim Fox, Archie Griffin, Kurt Schumacher, Doug France, Neal Colzie, John Hicks, Rick Middleton, and Randy Gradishar

Legacy[edit]

Sports announcer Keith Jackson identified the 1972 USC Trojans as the greatest team he ever saw. Sportswriter Beano Cook placed them at third of his all time teams on the basis of that assertion.[18] The Sporting News ranked the 1972 Trojans in their top 25 greatest teams.

Quotes[edit]

"I never saw any team that could beat them," USC head coach John McKay said.[9]

Washington State head coach Jim Sweeney disagreed. "USC's not the No. 1 team in the country," said Sweeney, whose Cougars endured a 44–3 loss to the Trojans. "The [1972] Miami Dolphins are better."[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Unbeaten Trojans host OSU in Rose". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 1, 1973. p. 62.
  2. ^ a b Jenkins, Dan (January 8, 1973). "No doubt about who's champ". Sports Illustrated. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b c Stevenson, Jack (January 2, 1973). "McKay elated as Trojans manhandle Ohio St". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. p. 28.
  4. ^ Loomis, Tom (January 2, 1973). "No. 1 Trojans earn place with all-time best". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 28.
  5. ^ "USC leaves no doubt – it's No. 1". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. January 2, 1973. p. 10.
  6. ^ a b c "It's 'bring on Miami' after USC wins easily". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1973. p. 3B.
  7. ^ a b c "Balloting mere formality as Trojans ruin Buckeyes". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1973. p. 17.
  8. ^ 2008 Rose Bowl Program Archived 2008-03-06 at the Wayback Machine, 2008 Rose Bowl. Accessed January 26, 2008.
  9. ^ a b c Christine Daniels – The 1972 Trojans. Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2008
  10. ^ "UPI board unanimous on Trojans". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). UPI. December 5, 1972. p. 23.
  11. ^ "USC claims 3rd national title in 10 years". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). UPI. December 5, 1972. p. 12.
  12. ^ UCLA Football – 2007 UCLA Football (Media Guide). UCLA Athletic Department (2007), page 165 (PDF copy available at www.uclabruins.com)
  13. ^ 2002 NCAA Records book – Attendance Records Archived April 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine page 494 (PDF)
  14. ^ Prugh, Jeff (January 1, 1973). "ROSE BOWL COACHES AGREE: Trojans, Bukeyes Battle for No. 1". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 29, 2022. Well, the college football world can stop arguing about who will be No. 1 after today's Rose Bowl game.
  15. ^ Oates, Bob "Anthony Scores Six TDs; Trojans Rout Irish, 45-23". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1972
  16. ^ Violent World Of Woody Hayes. Time Magazine, January 15, 1979
  17. ^ Steve Greenberg and Laura Lanese – Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Buckeye Football, 2006 Sports Publishing LLC, ISBN 1-58261-821-6
  18. ^ Beano Cook, All-time top 25: '47 Irish were greatest, ESPN.com, August 1, 2007.

Bibliography[edit]

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