| 1961 USC 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 |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 UCLA $ | 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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The 1961 USC Trojans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern California (USC) as a member of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the 1961 college football season. In their second year under head coach John 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 defeated SMU and Illinois, but lost to Georgia Tech, Iowa, Notre Dame, and Pittsburgh. [1]
End Hal 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. Quarterbacks Bill Nelsen and Pete Beathard combined for 1,165 passing yards, and fullback Ben 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, and Marv Marinovich) who returned to lead the undefeated 1962 USC Trojans football team to a national championship.
The Trojans played their home games at the Los 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. 1 Iowa * |
| L 34–35 | 30,263 | [4] [5] |
| October 14 | at No. 8 Notre Dame * | L 0–30 | 50,427 | [6] | |
| October 21 | at California | W 28–14 | 38,000 | [7] | |
| October 28 | Illinois * |
| W 14–10 | 28,694 | [8] |
| November 4 | at Washington | T 0–0 | 55,200 | [9] [10] | |
| November 11 | Stanford  |
| W 30–15 | 36,598 | [11] |
| November 18 | at Pittsburgh * | L 9–10 | 34,820 | [12] | |
| November 25 | UCLA |
| L 7–10 | 57,580 | [13] |
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Quarterback duties were split between Bill Nelsen and Pete 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]
End Hal 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. Fullback Ben 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, and Pete 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 the 1961 All-Pacific Coast football team selected by the Associated Press (AP), the All-West Coast team selected by the United Press International (UPI), or the all-conference team announced by the AAWU: fullback Ben Wilson (AP-1, UPI-1, AAWU-1); end Hal Bedsole (AP-2, UPI-1, AAWU-1); guard Britt Williams (AP-1, AAWU-1); tackle Frank Buncom (AAWU-1, AP-2); and quarterback Pete Beathard (AAWU-1). [18] [19] [20]
Bedsole was inducted into the College 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]
The 1967 UCLA vs. USC football game was a historically significant American college football game played during the 1967 NCAA University Division football season on November 18, 1967. The UCLA Bruins, 7–0–1 and ranked No. 1, with senior quarterback Gary Beban as a Heisman Trophy candidate, played the USC Trojans, 8–1 and ranked No. 4, with junior running back O. J. Simpson also as a Heisman candidate. This game is widely regarded as the signature game in the UCLA–USC rivalry as well as one of the 20th-century Games of the Century. The 64-yard run by Simpson for the winning touchdown is regarded as one of the greatest run plays in college football.
Harold Jay Bedsole was an American football player. He played as a tight end and end early in his career during the single platoon days.
The 1963 Rose Bowl was the 49th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on Tuesday, January 1, at the end of the 1962 season. The top-ranked USC Trojans defeated the Wisconsin Badgers, 42–37. This was the first matchup between the AP Poll No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a bowl game, although such matchups had occurred previously in the regular season. The game was therefore a de facto national championship game as the winner would receive the FWAA’s Grantland Rice Trophy. The quarterbacks, Ron Vander Kelen of Wisconsin and Pete Beathard of USC, were named co-Players of the Game.
The 1961 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1961 Big Ten Conference football season. In its third year under head coach Bump Elliott, Michigan compiled a 6–3 record, finished in sixth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 212 to 163.
The 1967 Rose Bowl was the 53rd edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Monday, January 2nd, 1967. The game was played between the Purdue Boilermakers of the Big Ten Conference and the USC Trojans of the AAWU. A total of 101,438 people attended the game. Purdue won 14−13.
The 1961 Washington Huskies football team was an American football team that represented the University of Washington as a member of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the 1961 college football season. In their fifth season under head coach Jim Owens, the Huskies compiled a 5–4–1 record, finished in a tie for second place in the AAWU, and outscored opponents by a total of 119 to 98.
The 1959 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1959 college football season. In their third year under head coach Don Clark, the Trojans compiled an 8–2 record, finished in a tie for the Athletic Association of Western Universities championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 195 to 90. Total attendance for all 10 games was 453,865.
The 1952 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1952 college football season. In their second year under head coach Jess Hill, the Trojans compiled a 10–1 record, won the Pacific Coast Conference championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 254 to 47.
The 1953 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1953 college football season. In their third year under head coach Jess Hill, the Trojans compiled a 6–3–1 record, finished in third place in the Pacific Coast Conference, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 199 to 161. The team's home attendance of 413,617 in six games was the highest in the country during the 1953 season. The total attendance of 561,389 in 10 games was the second highest in the nation.
The 1956 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1956 college football season. In their sixth and final year under head coach Jess Hill, the Trojans compiled an 8–2 record, finished in a tie for second place in the Pacific Coast Conference, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 218 to 126. The team was ranked #15 in the final United Press Coaches Poll and #18 in the final AP Poll. Total attendance for all 10 games was 469,762.
The 1962 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1962 NCAA University Division football season. In their third year under head coach John McKay, the Trojans compiled an 11–0 record, won the Athletic Association of Western Universities championship, and defeated Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. USC outscored their opponents 261 to 92, and finished first in both major polls, released prior to the bowls.
The 1966 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. In their seventh year under head coach John McKay, the Trojans compiled a 7–4 record, won the Athletic Association of Western Universities championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 199 to 128. The team was ranked #18 in the final Coaches Poll in late November; the final AP poll of early December included only the top ten this season
The 1931 USC Trojans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1931 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Howard Jones, the Trojans lost the opening game to Saint Mary's and then won the remaining ten games of the season. They finished the season with a 10–1 record, shut out six of eleven opponents, outscored all opponents by a total of 363 to 52, and won the PCC and national championships.
The 1961 Iowa Hawkeyes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Iowa in the 1961 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first year under head coach Jerry Burns, the Hawkeyes compiled a 5–4 record, tied for seventh place in the Big Ten Conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 215 to 162. The team was ranked No. 1 in the AP poll at the start of the season but dropped out of the polls after losing four consecutive games.
The 1961 Stanford Indians football team was an American football team that represented Stanford University as a member of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Jack Curtice, the Indians compiled a 4–6 record, finished in a tie for last place in the AAWU, and were outscored by a total of 163 to 105.
The 1961 LSU Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Louisiana State University (LSU) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1961 college football season. In their seventh and final year under head coach Paul Dietzel, the Tigers compiled a 10–1 record, tied with Alabama for the SEC championship, and were ranked No. 3 in the final UPI coaches poll and No. 4 in the final AP writers poll. After losing the season opener to Rice, The Tigers won 10 consecutive games, including a 10–0 victory over No. 3 Georgia Tech, a 10–7 victory over No. 2 Ole Miss, and a 25–7 victory over No. 7 Colorado in the 1962 Orange Bowl. They shut out five opponents, outscored all opponents by a total of 234 to 50, and ranked fourth nationally in both scoring defense and rushing defense.
The 1961 All-Pacific Coast football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Pacific Coast teams for the 1961 college football season.
The 1961 UCLA Bruins football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a member of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Bill Barnes, the Bruins compiled a 7–4 record, won the AAWU championship, outscored opponents by a total of 182 to 121, and were ranked No. 16 in the final Associated Press writers poll. They closed the season with a 21–3 loss to Minnesota in the 1962 Rose Bowl.
The 1961 Duke Blue Devils football team was an American football team that represented Duke University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1961 college football season. In their eleventh year under head coach Bill Murray, the Blue Devils compiled a 7–3 record, won the ACC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 183 to 106. In non-conference games, they defeated Navy and Notre Dame but lost to Georgia Tech and Michigan. They were ranked No. 14 in the final UPI coaches poll and No. 20 in the final AP writers poll.
The 1961 California Golden Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley in the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the 1961 college football season. In their second year under head coach Marv Levy, the Bears compiled a 1–8–1 record, finished in a tie for last place in the AAWU, and was outscored by their opponents by a total of 268 to 118.