1973 Rose Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1973 Rose Bowl was a college football
bowl game
played on January 1, 1973. It was the 59th Rose Bowl Game
. The USC Trojans
defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes
42-17. USC running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham
scored four touchdowns and was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. The Trojans were voted unanimously the number one team in college football, the first time in college football history. The attendance of 106,869 set the Rose Bowl Stadium record, as well as the NCAA bowl game record.
on New Year's Eve. A convincing win in the Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes could sway the voters to put Ohio State at #1.
' UCLA Bruins, who had defeated #1 ranked Nebraska to start the season. The Trojans' closest contest was a 30-21 defeat of number 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 would then soundly defeat Notre Dame 45-23 behind the six touchdowns of Anthony Davis. Quarterbacking duties were shared by Mike Rae
and Pat Haden
.
. Ohio State had one loss at Michigan State, 12-19 on November 11. USC had demolished the Spartans 51-6 only 5 weeks earlier in a night game at the Coliseum. In the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
, with the Rose Bowl on the line for both teams, the Buckeyes used a defensive goal line stand in the first half and another in the second half to beat number 3 ranked Michigan, 14-11. The Buckeyes and Wolverines shared the Big Ten title. The Wolverines were not invited to any other Bowl game due to the exclusive Big Ten conference agreement to only send teams to the Rose Bowl.
, the records for touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and points scored have been matched by Eric Ball (1986 Rose Bowl
), Ron Dayne
(1999 Rose Bowl
), and Vince Young
(2006 Rose Bowl
).
A team record for Most points in one half at 45 was set in the second half (Southern California 35, Ohio State 10). This was later tied in the 1999 Rose Bowl
: Wisconsin 24, UCLA 21. It was surpassed by USC and Texas with 53 points in the second half of the 2006 Rose Bowl
.
The record attendance would come close, but never be matched again in the Rose Bowl. In 1998, the Rose Bowl stadium 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.
, 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
would call the 1972 USC Trojans the greatest team he ever saw. Sportswriter Beano Cook
placed them at third of his all time teams on the basis of that assertion. The Sporting News ranked the 1972 Trojans in their top 25 greatest teams.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
played on January 1, 1973. It was the 59th Rose Bowl Game
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
. The USC Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
42-17. USC running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham
Sam Cunningham
Samuel Lewis "Sam" Cunningham, Jr is a retired American football fullback. The media referred to him as Sam "Bam" Cunningham.-College career:...
scored four touchdowns and was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. The Trojans were voted unanimously the number one team in college football, the first time in college football history. The attendance of 106,869 set the Rose Bowl Stadium record, as well as the NCAA bowl game record.
Teams
The National championship was on the line for #1 USC, and likely #3 Ohio State. A #2 Oklahoma already had defeated Penn State in the Sugar BowlSugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
on New Year's Eve. A convincing win in the Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes could sway the voters to put Ohio State at #1.
USC Trojans
The 1972 USC Trojans football team was undefeated and untied. Their first win against #4 Arkansas propelled them to the top of the polls, where they remained throughout the season. They had help from new coach Pepper RodgersPepper Rodgers
Franklin C. "Pepper" Rodgers is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He served as the head coach at the University of Kansas , University of California, Los Angeles , and the Georgia Institute of Technology , compiling a career college football record of...
' UCLA Bruins, who had defeated #1 ranked Nebraska to start the season. The Trojans' closest contest was a 30-21 defeat of number 15 Stanford. In the UCLA-USC rivalry
UCLA-USC rivalry
The UCLA–USC rivalry is the American college rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles and the USC Trojans sports teams of the University of Southern California ....
game with the Rose Bowl on the line for both teams, the Bruins were outmatched by the Trojans 24-7. USC would then soundly defeat Notre Dame 45-23 behind the six touchdowns of Anthony Davis. Quarterbacking duties were shared by Mike Rae
Mike Rae
Michael John Rae is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League.-Early life:Rae attended and played high school football at Lakewood High School.-College career:...
and Pat Haden
Pat Haden
Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden is the athletic director at the University of Southern California. He played quarterback for the USC Trojans before playing professionally in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1981...
.
Ohio State Buckeyes
This was the first year that freshmen could play football due to the NCAA rescinding an earlier rule, and so began the first of four Rose Bowl appearances for Archie GriffinArchie Griffin
Archie Mason Griffin is a former American football running back. Griffin played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. He is college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner...
. Ohio State had one loss at Michigan State, 12-19 on November 11. USC had demolished the Spartans 51-6 only 5 weeks earlier in a night game at the Coliseum. In the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, also known as The Game, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Wolverines of the University of Michigan and the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University...
, with the Rose Bowl on the line for both teams, the Buckeyes used a defensive goal line stand in the first half and another in the second half to beat number 3 ranked Michigan, 14-11. The Buckeyes and Wolverines shared the Big Ten title. The Wolverines were not invited to any other Bowl game due to the exclusive Big Ten conference agreement to only send teams to the Rose Bowl.
Game summary
At the half, the score was tied. Sam "Bam" Cunningham exploded for four touchdowns in the second half.Third quarter
- USC - Sam Cunningham 2 yard run (Rae kick), 12:18
- OSU - Blair Conway 21 yard field goal, 8:11
- USC - Davis 20 yard run (Rae kick), 5:51
- USC - Cunningham 1 yard run (Rae kick), 1:25
Fourth quarter
- USC - Cunningham 1 yard run (Rae kick), 9:10
- USC - Cunningham 1 yard run (Rae kick), 5:13
- OSU - John Bledsoe 5 run (Blair Conway kick), 0:34
Rose Bowl records
Sam Cunningham set three modern Rose Bowl records with 4 touchdowns in his final college football game. As of the 2008 Rose Bowl2008 Rose Bowl
The 2008 Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi, the 94th Rose Bowl Game, played on January 1, 2008 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, was a college football bowl game. The contest was televised on ABC, the 20th straight year the network aired the Rose Bowl, starting at 4:30pm EST...
, the records for touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and points scored have been matched by Eric Ball (1986 Rose Bowl
1986 Rose Bowl
The 1986 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1986. It was the 72nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28. UCLA tailback Eric Ball was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. He ran for a Rose Bowl record four touchdowns.-Iowa Hawkeyes:Iowa...
), Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne is a former American football running back who is currently a free agent. He holds the NCAA record for career rushing yards, and he won the 1999 Heisman Trophy.-Early life:...
(1999 Rose Bowl
1999 Rose Bowl
The 1999 Rose Bowl was the 85th Rose Bowl game and was played on Friday January 1, 1999 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. It was a college football bowl game at the end of the 1998 college football season. Wisconsin defeated by a score of 38-31. Ron Dayne of Wisconsin was named...
), and Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
(2006 Rose Bowl
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
).
A team record for Most points in one half at 45 was set in the second half (Southern California 35, Ohio State 10). This was later tied in the 1999 Rose Bowl
1999 Rose Bowl
The 1999 Rose Bowl was the 85th Rose Bowl game and was played on Friday January 1, 1999 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. It was a college football bowl game at the end of the 1998 college football season. Wisconsin defeated by a score of 38-31. Ron Dayne of Wisconsin was named...
: Wisconsin 24, UCLA 21. It was surpassed by USC and Texas with 53 points in the second half of the 2006 Rose Bowl
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
.
The record attendance would come close, but never be matched again in the Rose Bowl. In 1998, the Rose Bowl stadium had its seating capacity reduced, and was no longer the largest football stadium in the United States. As of the 2008 Rose Bowl
2008 Rose Bowl
The 2008 Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi, the 94th Rose Bowl Game, played on January 1, 2008 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, was a college football bowl game. The contest was televised on ABC, the 20th straight year the network aired the Rose Bowl, starting at 4:30pm EST...
game, the Rose Bowl game still draws the largest crowds of any post-season college football contest.
Ohio State-USC
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 Woody Hayes and two-time Heisman trophy winner Archie Griffin. Prior to the game contest, Woody Hayes pushed a camera into the face of a news photographer, screaming, "That'll take care of you, you son of a bitch." Hayes was ejected and left California with a subpoena.NFL players
The 1972 Trojans had 33 players who would eventually be drafted by NFL teams, including five first-round selections: Charle YoungCharle Young
Charle Edward Young is a former American football tight end who played for 13 seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973–1976, the Los Angeles Rams from 1977–1979, the San Francisco 49ers from 1980–1982, and the Seattle Seahawks from...
, Sam Cunningham
Sam Cunningham
Samuel Lewis "Sam" Cunningham, Jr is a retired American football fullback. The media referred to him as Sam "Bam" Cunningham.-College career:...
, Pete Adams
Pete Adams
Peter Anthony Adams is a former American football guard.-Pro career:Adams played four seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns.-College career:...
, Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
, 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
Tim Fox
Timothy Richard Fox is a former American Football safety who played for the New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1986....
, Archie Griffin
Archie Griffin
Archie Mason Griffin is a former American football running back. Griffin played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. He is college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner...
, Kurt Schumacher
Kurt Schumacher (American football)
Kurt Schumacher is a former American football guard and tackle in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the 12th overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft.-External links:*...
, Doug France
Doug France
Doug France is an American former National Football League offensive lineman who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams.-Career:...
, Neal Colzie
Neal Colzie
Cornelius Connie Colzie, better known as Neal Colzie, was an American football defensive back for the Oakland Raiders , Miami Dolphins , and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, John Hicks
John Hicks (American football)
John Charles Hicks Jr. is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is best remembered for being the last lineman to be runner-up in the vote for the Heisman Trophy.-College career:...
, Rick Middleton, and Randy Gradishar
Randy Gradishar
Randy Charles Gradishar is a former college and professional American football linebacker who played in the 1970s and 1980s. Randy Gradishar is currently the Director of Corporate Communications for the Phil Long Dealerships in Colorado...
Legacy
Sports announcer Keith JacksonKeith Jackson
Keith Jackson is an American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports , his coverage of college football , his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R...
would call the 1972 USC Trojans the greatest team he ever saw. Sportswriter Beano Cook
Beano Cook
Carroll Hoff "Beano" Cook is an American television personality who works for ESPN. He is a college football historian and commentator. He received his B.A...
placed them at third of his all time teams on the basis of that assertion. The Sporting News ranked the 1972 Trojans in their top 25 greatest teams.
Quotes
"I never saw any team that could beat them," USC Coach John McKay said.
Washington State Coach Jim Sweeney disagreed. "USC's not the No. 1 team in the country," said Sweeney, whose Cougars endured a 44-3 loss against the Trojans. "The [1972] Miami Dolphins are better."