American college football season
The1928 USC Trojans football team was anAmerican football team that represented theUniversity of Southern California in thePacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the1928 college football season . In their fourth season under head coachHoward Jones , the Trojans compiled a 9–0–1 record (4–0–1 against PCC opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 267 to 59, and won the PCC championship.
TheAP Poll did not exist at the time. The only contemporaneous rating system was theDickinson System which was released on December 8, 1928.[ 1] national champion by theSagarin Ratings .Georgia Tech has been recognized as the national champion by the majority of later selectors.[ 2]
Three USC players received honors on the1928 All-America college football team : tackleJesse Hibbs (first-team selection byCentral Press Association andNewspaper Enterprise Association ), centerNate Barragar (second-team selection by theAssociated Press ); and quarterback Don Williams (second-team selection by theNorth American Newspaper Alliance ).[ 3] 1928 All-Pacific Coast football team : quarterback Don Williams (NEA-1, UP-1); fullback Lloyd Thomas (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1); end Lawrence McCaslin (NEA-1); and center Nate Barragar (AP-1).[ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 29 Utah Agricultural * W 40–1232,000 [ 7] October 6 Oregon State Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 19–051,000 [ 8] October 13 Saint Mary's * Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 19–645,000 [ 9] October 20 atCalifornia T 0–074,245–80,000 [ 10] [ 11] October 27 Occidental * Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 19–040,000 [ 12] November 3 Stanford Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry ) W 10–080,000 [ 13] November 10 Arizona * Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 78–720,000 [ 14] November 17 Washington State Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 27–1350,000 [ 15] November 24 Idaho Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 28–710,000 [ 16] December 1 Notre Dame * Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry ) W 27–1472,632 [ 17] *Non-conference game
[ 18] [ 19] [ 20]
Frank Anthony, T Marger Apsit , HBLyle Baldridge, G Nate Barragar , CWard Bond , THerschel Bonham, FB Charles F. Boren, G Everett Brown, QB Mahlon Chambers, QB Vaughn Deranian, G Marshall Duffield, QB Harvey Durkee, E Harry Edelson, HB William Ford, FB Clark Galloway, G Robert Gowder, G Jesse Hibbs , TJess Hill , FBCecil Wayne Hoff, T Rockwell Kemp, QB William Karl Kreiger, E Eugene Laisne, HB Hilton McCabe, C Lawrence McCaslin, E Jess Mortensen , HBDon Moses , FBFrancis Norton, HB John Porter, G Bert Ritchey, FB Russ Saunders , FBAlvin Schaub, HB William Seitz, T Jesse Shaw, T Tony Steponovich , EFrancis Tappaan, E George Templeton, C Lloyd Thomas, HB James Truher, E John Ward, T Ralph O. Wilcox, E Thomas Wilcox, FB Don Williams, QB John Irving Winfield, G [ 21]
^ "Trojans Rated as Leading College Team in Country" .The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . December 9, 1928. p. 42 – viaNewspapers.com .^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF) . National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. pp. 113, 120. RetrievedJanuary 4, 2019 .^ ESPN College Football Encyclopedia . ESPN Books. 2005. p. 1160.ISBN 1401337031 ^ "California Places Three Pacific Stars" .The Decatur Review . December 4, 1928. p. 16.^ "Here Is All-Coast Conference Team" .The Ogden Standard-Examiner . December 11, 1928. p. 12.^ "Experts Pick All-Coast Eleven" .Oakland Tribune . December 5, 1928. p. 26.^ Braven Dyer (September 30, 1928)."Trojans Score 40-12 Victory Over Utah: Don Williams Star of Game" .Los Angeles Times . p. 1a-1–1a-2 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Paul Lowry (October 7, 1928)."Trojans Spear Oregon State, 19-0: Invaders Can't Stop Williams" .Los Angeles Times . pp. Sports 1–2 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Paul Lowry (October 14, 1928)."Thundering Herd Tramples St. Mary's, 19 to 6: Williams Hero of Grid Clash" .Los Angeles Times . pp. Sports 1, 2 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ USC Football 2017 Media Guide (PDF) . University of Southern California Athletics. p. 70.^ Theon Wright (October 21, 1928)."Lom's Great Punting Checks Trojan Attack: Price's Defense Crushes Don Williams' Flank Plays" .Oakland Tribune . pp. 1D, 3D – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Braven Dyer (October 28, 1928)."Southern California Beats Occidental, 19 to 0: Tigers Put Up Great Battle" .Los Angeles Times . pp. Sports 1, 2 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Paul Lowry (November 4, 1928)."Trojans Surprise Stanford, 10 to 0: Cards Repulsed Four Times on Goal Line" .Los Angeles Times . pp. Sports 1, 7 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Braven Dyer (November 11, 1928)."Trojans Swamp Arizona: Duffield Runs All Over Field" .Los Angeles Times . pp. Sports 1, 2 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Paul Lowry (November 18, 1928)."Trojans Conquer Washington State, 27 to 13: Saunders Hero of Wild Game" .Los Angeles Times . pp. Sports 1, 2 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Braven Dyer (November 25, 1928)."Trojans Beat Idaho, 28 to 7, to Win Coast Title: Russ Saunders Star of Game" .Los Angeles Times . pp. Sports 1, 2 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ Paul Lowry (December 2, 1928)."_____ in ___ 17-14 Win: Irish Crushed by Local Eleven" .Los Angeles Times . pp. 1, 1a-1 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ "1928 Trojans Schedule and Results" .College Football at Sports-Reference.com .Sports Reference . RetrievedJanuary 20, 2026 .^ "1928 USC Football Schedule" . University of Southern California Athletics. RetrievedJanuary 20, 2026 .^ "2025 USC Football Media Guide" . University of Southern California Athletics. p. 139. RetrievedJanuary 20, 2026 .^ "All-Time Letterwinners" (PDF) . USC Athletics. RetrievedFebruary 7, 2025 .
Venues Bowls and rivalries Culture and lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
1869–1879 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s
Pacific Coast AAWU Pacific-8 Pacific-10 Pac-12 National championships inbold
