1972 USC Trojans football team

1972 USC Trojans football
Unanimous national champion (17 of 17 official selectors) 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
1972 record	12–0 (7–0 Pac-8)
Head coach	John McKay (13th year)
Captain	Sam Cunningham
Captain	John Grant
Home stadium	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Seasons ← 1971 1973 →

1972 Pacific-8 football standings
	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
#1 USC $	7	–	0	–	0	12	–	0	–	0
#15 UCLA	5	–	2	–	0	8	–	3	–	0
#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

	1	2	3	4	Total
• USC	0	3	14	14	31
Arkansas	3	0	0	7	10

Date: September 9
Location: War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, AK
Game attendance: 54,461

Scoring summary

Q1	ARK	Bolton 27-yard field goal	ARK 3–0

Q2	USC	Rae 26-yard field goal	Tie 3–3

Q3	USC	Rae 5-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 10–3

Q3	USC	McNeill 18-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 17–3

Q4	USC	McNeill 3-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 24–3

Q4	ARK	Richardson 1-yard run (Bolton kick)	USC 24–10

Q4	USC	Cunningham 18-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 31–10

Scoring summary

Q1	ARK	Bolton 27-yard field goal	ARK 3–0

Q2	USC	Rae 26-yard field goal	Tie 3–3

Q3	USC	Rae 5-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 10–3

Q3	USC	McNeill 18-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 17–3

Q4	USC	McNeill 3-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 24–3

Q4	ARK	Richardson 1-yard run (Bolton kick)	USC 24–10

Q4	USC	Cunningham 18-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 31–10

	1	2	3	4	Total
Oregon St	0	6	0	0	6
• USC	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

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
• USC	7	13	15	20	55
Illinois	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

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Michigan St	0	6	0	0	6
• USC	14	7	3	27	51

Date: September 30
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Game attendance: 63,934

Scoring summary

Q1	USC	Swann 92-yard punt return (Rae kick)	USC 7–0

Q1	USC	McNeill 8-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 14–0

Q2	USC	McKay 9-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick)	USC 21–0

Q2	MSU	Werner 1-yard run (pass failed)	USC 21–6

Q3	USC	Rae 20-yard field goal	USC 24–6

Q4	USC	Wood 25-yard interception return (Rae kick)	USC 31–6

Q4	USC	Moore 9-yard pass from Haden (kick failed)	USC 37–6

Q4	USC	Carter 21-yard run (Limahelu kick)	USC 44–6

Q4	USC	Swann 30-yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick)	USC 51–6

Scoring summary

Q1	USC	Swann 92-yard punt return (Rae kick)	USC 7–0

Q1	USC	McNeill 8-yard run (Rae kick)	USC 14–0

Q2	USC	McKay 9-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick)	USC 21–0

Q2	MSU	Werner 1-yard run (pass failed)	USC 21–6

Q3	USC	Rae 20-yard field goal	USC 24–6

Q4	USC	Wood 25-yard interception return (Rae kick)	USC 31–6

Q4	USC	Moore 9-yard pass from Haden (kick failed)	USC 37–6

Q4	USC	Carter 21-yard run (Limahelu kick)	USC 44–6

Q4	USC	Swann 30-yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick)	USC 51–6

The 1972 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 1972 college football season.

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.

On a very rainy and cold day, the Trojans were held to their lowest score of the season.

Anthony Davis 25 Rush, 178 Yds

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