American college football season
The1979 USC Trojans football team represented theUniversity of Southern California (USC) in the1979 NCAA Division I-A football season . In their fourth year under head coachJohn Robinson , the Trojans compiled an 11–0–1 record (6–0–1 against conference opponents), won thePacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 389 to 171.[ 2]
Quarterback Paul McDonald led the team in passing, completing 164 of 264 passes for 2,223 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.Charles White led the team in rushing with 332 carries for 2,050 yards and 19 touchdowns. Danny Garcia led the team in receiving with 29 catches for 492 yards and three touchdowns.[ 3]
The team was named national champion by theCollege Football Researchers Association , an NCAA-designated major selector.[ 4] : 114
Date Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 8 atTexas Tech * No. 1 W 21–752,991 [ 5] September 15 atOregon State No. 1 ONTV W 42–532,000 [ 6] September 22 Minnesota * No. 1 W 48–1461,766 [ 7] September 29 at No. 20LSU * No. 1 W 17–1278,322 [ 8] October 6 Washington State No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 50–2155,117 [ 9] October 13 Stanford No. 1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry ) T 21–2176,067 [ 10] October 20 at No. 9Notre Dame * No. 4 ABC W 42–2359,075 [ 11] October 27 atCalifornia No. 3 W 24–1476,780 [ 12] November 3 Arizona No. 3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 34–762,054 [ 13] November 10 at No. 15Washington No. 4 ABC W 24–1760,527 [ 14] November 24 UCLA No. 4 KABC W 49–1488,214 [ 15] January 1 , 1980vs. No. 1Ohio State * No. 3 NBC W 17–16105,526 [ 16] *Non-conference game Rankings fromAP Poll released prior to the game Source:[ 17]
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Paul McDonald completed eight of nine passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in just one half of action whileCharles White watched from the sidelines with an injured shoulder. McDonald led the Trojans to touchdowns on their first five possessions before he and the rest of USC starters sat for the second half.[ 18]
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Charles White 32 rushes, 221 yards[ 19] Game information First quarter Second quarter USC – Garcia 12-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick).USC 7–0. ND – Ferguson 1-yard run (Male kick).Tie 7–7. Third quarter USC – White 3-yard run (Hipp kick).USC 14–7 USC – White 1-yard run (Hipp kick).USC 21–7. ND – Ferguson 21-yard run (Male kick).USC 21–14. Fourth quarter USC – Williams 12-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick).USC 28–14. ND – Stone 2-yard run (kick failed).USC 28–20. USC – White 1-yard run (Hipp kick).USC 35–20. USC – White 1-yard run (Hipp kick).USC 42–20. ND – Male 42-yard field goal.USC 42–23. Top rushers
Game information First quarter USC – James Hunter 3-yard pass fromPaul McDonald (Eric Hipp kick).USC 7–0. Second quarter CAL – Darnell Chapman 74-yard blocked field goal return (Mick Luckhurst kick).Tie 7–7. Third quarter Fourth quarter USC –Charles White 2-yard run (Eric Hipp kick).USC 14–7. CAL –Matt Bouza 13-yard pass fromRich Campbell (Mick Luckhurst kick), 5:24.Tie 14–14. USC – Eric Hipp 45-yard field goal, 2:46.USC 17–7.Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards. USC – Charles White 5-yard run (Eric Hipp kick), 0:02.USC 24–7. Top passers Top rushers USC –Charles White – 44 rushes, 198 yards, 2 TD CAL – Paul Jones – 13 rushes, 36 yards Top receivers
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Game information First quarter WASH – Lansford 30-yard field goal.Washington 3–0. Second quarter USC – Garcia 8-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick).USC 7–3. USC – Hipp 31-yard field goal.USC 10–3. Third quarter USC – K. Williams 19-yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick).USC 17–3. WASH – Flick 1-yard run (Lansford kick).USC 17–10. Fourth quarter WASH – Skansi 12-yard pass from Flick (Lansford kick).Tie 17–17. USC – M. Allen 10-yard run (Hipp kick).USC 24–17. Top rushers
Game information First quarter USC –Charles White 2-yard run (Eric Hipp kick).USC 7–0. USC –Ronnie Lott 30-yard interception return (Eric Hipp kick).USC 14–0. Second quarter USC – Charles White 1-yard run (Eric Hipp kick).USC 21–0. USC – Charles White 26-yard run (Eric Hipp kick).USC 28–0. USC – Charles White 2-yard run (Eric Hipp kick).USC 35–0. Third quarter UCLA –Jo-Jo Townsell 79-yard pass from Rick Bashore (Peter Boermeester kick).USC 35–7. USC – Vic Rakhshani 5-yard pass fromPaul McDonald (Eric Hipp kick).USC 42–7. Fourth quarter UCLA – Jo-Jo Townsell 5-yard pass from Rick Bashore (Peter Boermeester kick).USC 42–14. USC – Michael Hayes 54-yard run (Eric Hipp kick).USC 49–14. Top passers UCLA – Rick Bashore – 9/17, 224 yards, 2 TD, INT USC –Paul McDonald – 17/23, 199 yards, TD, INT Top rushers Top receivers UCLA –Jo-Jo Townsell – 5 receptions, 129 yards, 2 TD USC – Rod Garcia – 3 receptions, 42 yards
[ edit ] Charles White 39 rushes, 247 yards[ 25] 1979 USC Trojans football team roster Players Coaches Offense Defense Special teams Pos. # Name Class K Eric Hipp P Dave Pryor
Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain(S) Suspended(I) Ineligible
1979 team players in the NFL [ edit ] Marcus Allen Chip Banks Hoby Brenner Joey Browner Brad Budde Steve Busick Ray Butler Dennis Johnson Myron Lapka Ronnie Lott Jeff Fisher Chris Foote Roy Foster Bruce Matthews Paul McDonald Larry McGrew Don Mosebar Anthony Muñoz Eric Scoggins Dennis Smith Keith Van Horne Charles White Brad Budde , Lombardi AwardCharles White, Heisman Trophy[ 26] Charles White, Maxwell Award Charles White, Walter Camp Award ^ "2017 Media Guide" (PDF) .thesundevils.com . ASU Athletics. p. 127. RetrievedJune 15, 2018 .^ "Southern California Yearly Results (1975-1979)" .College Football Data Warehouse . David DeLassus. Archived fromthe original on July 22, 2015. RetrievedJuly 20, 2015 .^ "1979 Southern California Trojans Stats" .SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. RetrievedJuly 21, 2015 .^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF) . Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. RetrievedOctober 4, 2018 .^ "White injured early, but Southern Cal wins" .Wisconsin State Journal . September 9, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Top-ranked USC destroys Oregon State by 42–5" .The Tampa Tribune-Times . September 16, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "USC rambles past Minnesota" .The Courier-Journal . September 23, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "For 59 minutes USC isn't even No. 1 in Baton Rouge" .The Los Angeles Times . September 30, 1979. RetrievedOctober 30, 2023 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "McDonald sparks USC win" .Fort Worth Star-Telegram . October 7, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Trojans are left in a daze" .The Daily Breeze . October 14, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Southern Cal attack grinds Irish, 42–23" .The Cincinnati Enquirer . October 21, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Southern Cal salvages win in late spree" .Tallahassee Democrat . October 28, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "USC star sets 3 records in 34–7 rout of Arizona" .The Kansas City Star . November 4, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "USC tames Huskies and smells Roses" .Winston-Salem Journal . November 11, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Trojans smash Bruins, 49–14" .The San Francisco Examiner . November 25, 1979. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "White carries Southern Cal over Ohio State" .The Pittsburgh Press . January 2, 1980. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "1979 USC Trojans Schedule and Results" .SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. RetrievedOctober 25, 2024 .^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1979 Sept 16. Page 2C. Retrieved 2021-Sep-12. ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement ^ "Late scores sends Trojans past Bears." Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Oct 28. Retrieved 2021-Sep-24. ^ "USC Wins Bowl Berth Unless...".The Register-Guard ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement ^ "SC Gets Roses, White Wants Trophy." Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 25. Retrieved 2020-Oct-01. ^ 2020 USC Media Guide Supplement ^ "Heisman.com - Heisman Trophy" . Archived fromthe original on April 11, 2007. RetrievedApril 16, 2007 .
Venues Bowls and rivalries Culture and lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
Pacific Coast AAWU Pacific-8 Pacific-10 Pac-12 National championships inbold
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