Wikipedia

1970 USC Trojans football team

The 1970 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. In their 11th year under head coach John McKay, the Trojans compiled a 6–4–1 record (3–4 against conference opponents), finished in a tie for sixth place in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8), and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 343 to 233.[1] The team was ranked #15 in the final AP Poll and #19 in the final Coaches Poll.

1970 USC Trojans football
ConferencePacific-8 Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 19
APNo. 15
Record6–4–1 (3–4 Pac-8)
Head coach
Captains
Home stadiumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Seasons
← 1969
1971 →
1970 Pacific-8 Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Stanford $6–1–09–3–0
Washington4–3–06–4–0
Oregon4–3–06–4–1
UCLA4–3–06–5–0
California4–3–06–5–0
No. 15 USC3–4–06–4–1
Oregon State3–4–06–5–0
Washington State0–7–01–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

On September 12, 1970, USC opened the season visiting the University of Alabama under coach Bear Bryant and became the first fully integrated team to play in the State of Alabama.[2] The game, scheduled by Bryant, resulted in a 42–21 win for the Trojans. More importantly, all six touchdowns scored by USC team were by African-American players, two by USC running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham, against an all-white Crimson Tide team.[3] The game hastened the racial integration of football at Alabama and in the American South.[2][4]

Jimmy Jones led the team in passing, completing 121 of 234 passes for 1,877 yards with 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Clarence Davis led the team in rushing with 214 carries for 972 yards and nine touchdowns. Bob Chandler led the team in receiving with 41 catches for 590 yards and three touchdowns.[5]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12vs. No. 16 Alabama*No. 3
W 42–2172,175[6][7]
September 19No. 9 Nebraska*No. 3
T 21–2173,768[8]
September 26at Iowa*No. 7
W 48–056,131[9]
October 3Oregon StateNo. 5
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 45–1357,769[10]
October 10at No. 12 StanfordNo. 4
L 14–2486,000[11]
October 17WashingtonNo. 11
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 28–2556,166[12]
October 24at OregonNo. 10
L 7–1034,000[13][14]
October 311:23 p.m.CaliforniadaggerNo. 18
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
L 10–1354,750[15]
November 7at Washington State
W 70–3314,500[16]
November 21at UCLA
L 20–4578,773[17]
November 28No. 4 Notre Dame*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)
W 38–2864,694[18]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Pacific time

[19]

Game summaries

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Alabama

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Team 1 234Total
• USC 12 101010 42
Alabama 0 768 21
  • Source:
Scoring summary
1USCCunningham 22-yard run (kick failed)USC 6-0
1USCCunningham 4-yard run (pass failed)USC 12-0
2USCAyala 32-yard field goalUSC 15-0
2ALAMusso 1-yard run (Clemny kick)USC 15-7
2USCEvans 7-yard run (Ayala kick)USC 22-7
3USCDavis 23-yard pass from Jones (Ayala kick)USC 29-7
3USCAyala 25-yard field goalUSC 32-7
3ALABailey 6-yard pass from Hayden (kick failed)USC 32-13
4USCAyala 27-yard field goalUSC 35-13
4USCHolland 6-yard pass from Rae (Ayala kick)USC 42-13
4ALAMusso 1-yard run (Hunter to Ceav pass)USC 42-21

Nebraska

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Iowa

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Team 1 234Total
• USC 7 27140 48
Iowa 0 000 0
Scoring summary
1USCJones 1-yard run (Ayala kick)USC 7-0
2USCDavis 3-yard run (Ayala kick)USC 14-0
2USCJones 8-yard run (kick failed)USC 20-0
2USCChandler 9-yard pass from Jones (Dickerson pass from Jones)USC 28-0
2USCRae 4-yard run (run failed)USC 34-0
3USCHarris 1-yard run (Ayala kick)USC 41-0
3USCMcNeill 4-yard run (Ayala kick)USC 48-0

[20]

Oregon State

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Jimmy Jones 15/21, 304 Yds, 3 TD, rush TD

[21]

Notre Dame

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Team 1 234Total
Notre Dame 7 777 28
• USC 21 3140 38
Scoring summary
1NDTheismann 25-yard run (Hempel kick)ND 7-0
1USCDavis 3-yard run (Ayala kick)Tied 7-7
1USCDavis 5-yard run (kick failed)USC 13-7
1USCDickerson 45-yard pass from Jones (Jones to Chandler pass)USC 21-7
2NDCieszkowski 9-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick)USC 21-14
2USCAyala 19-yard field goalUSC 24-14
3USCAdams recovered fumble in end zone (Ayala kick)USC 31-14
3USCVella recovered fumble in end zone (Ayala kick)USC 38-14
3NDParker 46-yard pass from Theismann (Hempel kick)USC 38-21
4NDTheismann 1-yard run (Hempel kick)USC 38-28

[22]

Personnel

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1970 USC Trojans football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
OT 77 Pete Adams So
RB Mike Berry
OL Dave Brown
WR 10 Bob Chandler (C) Sr
RB 39 Sam Cunningham So
RB 28 Clarence Davis Sr
WR Sam Dickerson
RB 33 Charlie Evans Sr
OL Allan Graf
RB Lou Harris
RB Bill Holland
QB 8 Jimmy Jones Jr
RB Rod McNeill
OT 78 Marv Montgomery Sr
WR Mike Morgan
TE 86 Gerry Mullins Sr
QB 6 Mike Rae So
OL Mike Ryan
TE Chris Vella
OT 75 John Vella Jr
OL Wayne Yary
TE 89 Charle Young Jr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DL Ken Carter
DB Bruce Dyer
DB Walt Failor
DE 94 John Grant So
DL John Grissum
DE 83 Willie Hall Sr
LB Mike Haluchak
DB Tyrone Hudson
LB John Papadakis
LB Ron Preston
DL John Skiles
LB Greg Slough
DT 93 Tody Smith Sr
DB 46 Skip Thomas Jr
DB Curt Timmons
DL 84 Charlie Weaver (C) Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K Ron Ayala
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

1970 team players in the NFL

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The following players were claimed in the 1971 NFL draft.

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Marv MontgomeryTackle112Denver Broncos
Tody SmithDefensive tackle125Dallas Cowboys
Charles WeaverDefensive end248Detroit Lions
Sam DickersonWide receiver355San Francisco 49ers
Gerry MullinsTight end486Pittsburgh Steelers
Clarence DavisRunning back497Oakland Raiders
Greg SloughLinebacker6149Oakland Raiders
Herman FranklinWide receiver6152Detroit Lions
Bob ChandlerWide receiver7160Buffalo Bills
Charles EvansRunning back14356New York Giants

[23]

References

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  1. ↑ "Southern California Yearly Results (1970-1974)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Yaeger, Don; Sam Cunningham; John Papadakis (September 1, 2006). Turning of the Tide: How One Game Changed the South. Center Street. ISBN 1-931722-94-3.
  3. ↑ Robbins, Lenn (August 26, 2007). "Trojans Have Horses". New York Post. Retrieved August 26, 2007.
  4. ↑ Forde, Pat (August 28, 2007). "The Dash Is Off and Running". ESPN. Retrieved August 28, 2007.
  5. ↑ "1970 Southern California Trojans Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  6. ↑ Land, Charles (September 13, 1970). "Tough Trojans top Tide, 42–21". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 1. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  7. ↑ Thomas, Ronnie (September 13, 1970). "Tide drubbed 42–21 by USC". The Florence Times. p. 17. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Huskers battle mighty Trojans to 21–21 tie". The Fresno Bee. September 20, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Trojans clobber Iowa". Chicago Tribune. September 27, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Trojans stomp Oregon St". The Arizona Republic. October 4, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Plunkett's passes beat USC 24–14". The News Tribune. October 11, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Trojans prevail". Progress-Bulletin. October 18, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Cawood, Neil (October 25, 1970). "Ducks stun USC, keep hopes alive". Eugene Register-Guard. p. 1B. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Google News Archive.
  14. ↑ "Oregon upsets USC". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. October 25, 1970. p. 16. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Google News Archive.
  15. ↑ "Cal stuns Trojans on long field goal". Tri-City Herald. November 1, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Trojans trap, skiin, bury Cougars, 70–33". Independent Press-Telegram. November 8, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Bruins sack Troy, 45–20". Ventura County Star-Free Press. November 22, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Southern Cal shatters Irish win string, 38–28". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 29, 1970. Retrieved October 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Schedule/Results (1970 Southern California)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Trojans Roll Past Iowa". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. September 27, 1970.
  21. ↑ "Jimmy Jones quiets critics by passing USC past OSU". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. October 4, 1970.
  22. ↑ "Trojans Down Irish by 38-28". The Register-Guard. Eugene. November 29, 1970.
  23. ↑ "1970 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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