| 1961USC Trojans football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Athletic Association of Western Universities |
| Record | 4–5–1 (2–1–1 AAWU) |
| Head coach |
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| Captain | Britt Williams |
| Home stadium | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
Seasons | |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16UCLA $ | 3 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USC | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stanford | 1 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 1 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 8 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The1961 USC Trojans football team was anAmerican football team that represented theUniversity of Southern California (USC) as a member of theAthletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the1961 college football season. In their second year under head coachJohn McKay, the Trojans compiled a 4–5–1 record (2–1–1 in conference games), finished in a tie for second place in the AAWU, and were outscored by a total of 167 to 151. In non-conference games, they defeatedSMU andIllinois, but lost toGeorgia Tech,Iowa,Notre Dame, andPittsburgh.[1]
EndHal Bedsole was the leading receiver in the conference with 27 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns. Bedsole also led the team with 38 points scored. QuarterbacksBill Nelsen andPete Beathard combined for 1,165 passing yards, and fullbackBen Wilson led the team with 619 rushing yards.
The team included a large group of sophomores and juniors (including Bedsole, Beathard, Nelsen, Wilson,Willie Brown,Frank Buncom, andMarv Marinovich) who returned to lead the undefeated1962 USC Trojans football team to a national championship.
The Trojans played their home games at theLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 22 | Georgia Tech* | L 7–27 | 32,928-36,950 | [2] | |
| September 29 | SMU* |
| W 21–16 | 29,148 | [3] |
| October 7 | No. 1Iowa* |
| L 34–35 | 30,263 | [4][5] |
| October 14 | at No. 8Notre Dame* | L 0–30 | 50,427 | [6] | |
| October 21 | atCalifornia | W 28–14 | 38,000 | [7] | |
| October 28 | Illinois* |
| W 14–10 | 28,694 | [8] |
| November 4 | atWashington | T 0–0 | 55,200 | [9][10] | |
| November 11 | Stanford |
| W 30–15 | 36,598 | [11] |
| November 18 | atPittsburgh* | L 9–10 | 34,820 | [12] | |
| November 25 | UCLA |
| L 7–10 | 57,580 | [13] |
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Quarterback duties were split betweenBill Nelsen andPete Beathard. Nelson led the team in passing yards (39-for-86, 683 yards, 4 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 115.8 quarterback rating). Nelson also ranked third in the conference in total offense with 835 yards. Beathard led the team in pass completions (40-for-83, 482 yards, 3 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 92.0 quarterback rating).[14] Beathard was also the team's second leading scorer with five touchdowns (including a 52-yard punt return for touchdown) for 30 points.[15]
EndHal Bedsole was the conference's leading receiver with 27 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns. Bedsole also led the team, and ranked third in the conference, with 38 points scored (six touchdowns and a reception for a two-point conversion).[16]
USC had three of the top ten rushers in the conference. FullbackBen Wilson led the team, and ranked third in the conference, with 619 rushing yards on 139 carries for an average of 4.5 yards per carry.Willie Brown ranked seventh in the conference with 333 yards on 57 carries, andPete Beathard ranked tenth with 290 yards on 54 carries.[16][17]
Ernie Jones was the leading punter in the conference, averaging 39.6 yards on 38 punds.[17]
Five USC players received first-team honors on the1961 All-Pacific Coast football team selected by theAssociated Press (AP), the All-West Coast team selected by theUnited Press International (UPI), or the all-conference team announced by the AAWU: fullbackBen Wilson (AP-1, UPI-1, AAWU-1); endHal Bedsole (AP-2, UPI-1, AAWU-1); guard Britt Williams (AP-1, AAWU-1); tackleFrank Buncom (AAWU-1, AP-2); and quarterbackPete Beathard (AAWU-1).[18][19][20]
Bedsole was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Guard Britt Williams was selected prior to the season to serve as the team captain. He was USC's first solo captain since 1949.[21]