John McKay came to USC in 1960. Over the next fifteen seasons, the great head coach took the Trojans to the Rose Bowl eight times and won five of those games. He won three outright national championships and also took home the UPI coaches poll in 1974. McKay churned out wins, talent, and titles. But […]
The 1976 USC football team was one going through change. The Trojans were one of college football’s top programs under the leadership of John McKay. After taking over in 1960, McKay had a splendid 16-year run in Los Angeles that included three national championships. Now, he was off to coach the NFL’s new expansion franchise […]
USC has always, in varying degrees, played good football throughout the long history of its program. But the Trojans were never more dominant than under head coach John McKay. Arriving in Los Angeles in 1960, McKay won a national title by 1962. He won another one in 1967. A third championship came in 1972. The […]
After two straight years of reaching Pasadena, but losing, Trojan head coach Larry Smith needed to win a Rose Bowl. Read how 1989 USC football did just that
The 1979 USC football program entered the season on a high. They had reached the Rose Bowl twice in the previous three years under fourth-year head coach John Robinson and won both times. In 1978, they were voted a share of the national championship, splitting the title with Alabama. Those same two teams, the Trojans […]
USC and Ohio State had both been away from Pasadena for what was, by their lofty standards, far too long. After playing each other following the 1979 season, neither program had been back. Here’s a look back at the paths the Trojans and Buckeyes traveled through the 1984 college football season to a January 1 […]
The 1982 Fiesta Bowl marked a new era for the Tempe-based bowl game. It represented the effort of the Fiesta to turn itself into a “major bowl”, as they moved their game to January 1. They certainly got two major opponents for the debut on the New Year’s stage. Penn State and USC were two […]
The 1980 Rose Bowl was one of the great battles in the modern era for the “Grandaddy” of all college bowl games. Following the 1979 regular season, Ohio State was undefeated and in position to play for a national title. USC had only one tie on their resume and came into the game with outside hopes of their own. The Trojans and Buckeyes then proceeded to give the country an outstanding football game. Here’s a look back on the path each team took to reach Pasadena.
The 1980 Rose Bowl was one of the great battles in the modern era for the “Grandaddy” of all college bowl games. Following the 1979 regular season, Ohio State was undefeated and in position to play for a national title. USC had only one tie on their resume and came into the game with outside hopes of their own. The Trojans and Buckeyes then proceeded to give the country an outstanding football game. Here’s a look back on the path each team took to reach Pasadena.
Two traditional rivals came together on New Year’s Day for the 1979 Rose Bowl. USC arrived ranked #3 in the country and hoping that if the cards fell right they could be national champs. Michigan was ranked fifth, no hope at the top, but still aiming to get head coach Bo Schembecler his first victory in Pasadena. Let’s look back on how the Wolverines and Trojans navigated the 1978 college football regular season to get to this point.
USC and Michigan both had national title hopes in 1976 and they brought those hopes into their matchup at the 1977 Rose Bowl. Even though circumstances didn’t work out for either team to end up playing for the title, the Trojans and Wolverines still staged a great battle for #2.
College football’s core problem was not the lack of a playoff, as critics always assume every time there’s a problem, but to flawed methodology in selecting the top two teams. The issues were twofold.