One of my worst football memories ever — Crazily, it still pains me to think of it
Allen Wallace — I’ve said here before how tough it was for me to endure the Beban Bomb game defeat in 1965, 20-16. My first SC game in person at the jam-packed historic L.A. Coliseum and I’m 13 years old with my best friend, Duffy Duffield, sitting next to me…
You’d think that after 58 years, it might be just another brutal Trojan loss. There have been a few.
But I somehow ran across this snippet from an SI article by John Underwood, suddenly reminding me of that whole Trojan/Bruin torture scene again. The words Underwood wrote perfectly set up exactly what happened on the 20th of November, nearly 60 years ago.
Underwood — “With four minutes to play, USC had a 16-6 lead. Solid. It might just as well have been 60-6. UCLA had not gained a dime’s worth since Mel Farr broke for 49 yards and a momentary 6-0 Bruin lead in the first quarter. For the next 40 minutes the Uclans were held to one first down. They ran exactly seven offensive plays in the second quarter and, backs to the wall, punted three times on third down. In the third they ran only 11 plays, and Gary Beban had two passes intercepted.
“But there was something John McKay had said a week before the game that was to prove omniscient. Speaking only half in jest, he said, ‘It takes us eight minutes to go 60 yards. UCLA goes 60 yards in one clip.’”
Here’s the proof of McKay’s keen insight, and his post-game honesty as well.
“That was my toughest loss by 700 miles,” McKay said after the game. “But they beat us . . . outsmarted us, I guess.”
Sports Illustrated
_________
Notre Dame Refuses To Pay Buyout To Hire Andy Ludwig
ND will not be bringing in UTAH OC Andy Ludwig after refusing to meet the school’s buyout demands…
Bryan Driscoll (SI.com) — “This is a crushing play for ND’s football program, who had zeroed in on Ludwig after losing Tommy Rees to ALA. Ludwig interviewed on campus over the weekend and he immediately became the top target for the open offensive coordinator position.
“ND refusing to pay Ludwig’s buyout is an incredibly bad look for the higher-ups…”
si.com
Trojan Women Make History ✌ ✌
Lt. Margaret “Peggy” Dente and Lt. Lyndsay Evans, who flew an EA 18G Growler together as part of the Super Bowl’s first-ever all-female flyover, met while attending USC!
I’ve been touting the USC Women’s basketball program lately — and for good reason USC women’s basketball breaks into the top 25 for the first time since 2016 Shotgun Spratling — USC women’s basketball swept the Oregon schools at the Galen Center this weekend for the first time since 2013-14. It was a precursor to another first in more than half a decade. The Women of Troy were ranked No. 25 in the AP Top 25 poll released Monday, marking the first time USC has broken into the top 25 since 2016. The Trojans are now 19-6 on the season… Read more »
I’m slowly putting together a running tab of reactions to the holding call on JuJu’s defender from people many of us would recognize from either the media or the sporting world.
This is what I have so far. If others have more info, please add to this:
For The Call:
Colin Cowherd
Eric Mangini
Mike Pereira
Samari Rolle
Shannon Sharpe
Against The Call:
Troy Aikman
Skip Bayless
Dez Bryant
Reggie Bush
Julian Edelman
Dwight Freeney
A.J. Green
Robert Griffin III
Kirk Herbstreit
Lebron James
Jason McIntyre
Greg Olsen
Richard Sherman
Any opinions here on the final holding penalty?
Yes. Chickenshit.
Worse than the call itself, which was indefensible, was the anti-drama it set up. Who ever thought there was any entertainment value, in a tie game, in basically eliminating the last 2 minutes of the game? The way KC played it was probably the percentage play in a tie game (not so sure if KC had been down 1 or 2 points), but it sure wasn’t any fun to watch.
Agreed. Great game ruined, regardless of who won. A holding penalty could be called on every play. A totally ticky-tack, massively controversial call determines the Super Bowl winner. Uncatchable throw too. But the Eagles were admirably gracious in defeat, and Patrick Mahomes is truly a god. JMHO.
I notice I just got promoted to Noble Member.
Does that come with a new shoulder patch?
Not a bad idea at all SC Gator! Much better than a hat, don’t you think?
But honestly, thanks for your participation as a TDB member. Keep it up, and you’ll keep moving up in levels. ✌
Without the grap JuJu is open for the touchdown if he could get to the ball, but maybe not. Did drag out the ending. Good game none the less. JuJu and RoJo have a ring, 2nd for RoJo.
was RoJo on the active roster? thanks. sc
Yes. Never got in the game.
2023 Super Bowl rosters: Where the Eagles and Chiefs played college football
ncaa.com
Until later in the evening I thought the talking heads were tight about the call, they examined it from every angle except the one under JuJu’s jersey. Anyway later in the evening, the defensive player said, “I grabbed the jersey, I hoped they would let it slide.” Since I only watch USC football, I guess I can understand the feeling that the call was bogus, but since my daughter was watching the Super Bowl, I was forced to watch also. The final field goal was good football played too slow. I was amused that my daughter thought she had to… Read more »
Notre Dame football: Harry Hiestand announces immediate retirement
Just minutes before the kickoff of Super Bowl LVII between the Eagles and Chiefs, Notre Dame football sent out the following press release regarding offensive line coach Harry Hiestand:
SOUTH BEND, IN – Harry Hiestand, a 40-year collegiate coaching veteran who returned to Notre Dame in 2022 for a second time as the Joe Moore Offensive Line Coach, has announced his retirement from coaching.
Yahoo Sports
So one hour and 15 minutes to kick off. What you have all been waiting for, my sure fire formula for picking the Super Bowl winner. #USC Trojans+#SDSU Aztecs-#SUCLA Ruins-#Furd Injuns-#ND Domers.
KC=2+0-0-1-0=1
Philly=1+0-0-0-1=0
KC in a close one!
USC has 67 players that have won a Super Bowl in the NFL following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win with Ronald Jones II.
Only players on Super Bowl game day rosters are included. Each player is counted just once.
Each player is counted just once. So Tom Brady only gives Michigan 1. This is Jones’ 2nd Super Bowl, so he won’t count today with a KC win.
Then a KC win today and the top 3 colleges will be, USC 68, Miami 67, Tennesse 66. A Philly win and it will be USC 68, Tennessee 67, Miami 66. USC still number 1 tomorrow!
Go Eagles!
When I think of Super Bowls, this always comes to mind
And this
Or this
Remnants of the Pac-12 are a mess.
Hypocrites ORE/UW (whom the B1G doesn’t need nor desire like they did USC) now want a bigger share, just like the ruling Trojans always did, and the rest of the schools are angry, especially ASU/ARIZ. SMU and SDS would have to accept drastically reduced shares if they come. Disrespectful George Kliavkoff has turned out to be no better than Larry Scott. He’s got USC to thank for that in large part. Payback’s a…
Caleb Williams with Rams CB Jalen Ramsey (at one time committed to USC before signing with FSU) at the Super Bowl
This would be cool to see
2023 NFL mock draft by Draftwire: 3-round projections after Senior Bowl week
21. Los Angeles Chargers | USC WR Jordan Addison
This pick has to be something to help Justin Herbert, and in this scenario, the choice is clear. Addison could make a strong case to be the best pass-catcher in this year’s class, so to land him outside the top 20 would be a huge win for the Chargers, even if they have to wait on addressing the offensive line.
https://draftwire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nfl-mock-draft-3-rounds-senior-bowl-bryce-young-cj-stroud-will-levis-anthony-richardson/
https://twitter.com/MckayJ/status/1623713634924007425?s=20&t=C4L7zBJVjp5pWXTWFPei1Q
UTAH’s Andy Ludwig has emerged as a strong favorite for the ND OC vacancy
Per ESPN’s Heather Dinich, Ludwig will be on ND’s campus soon where he could receive an offer from Marcus Freeman.
UTAH has finished top-5 in the Pac-12 in total offense in three out of the past four years under Ludwig, who is also credited with playing a key role in developing QB Cam Rising (who has referred to himself as a “Trojan Killer”) and is returning to the Utes for the 2023 season.
Will Backus (247sports)
I really want the Trojans to shut him up next year. But it will not happen if we field the same lame defense.
Utah — Do you really think there’s a snowball’s chance in hell that USC’s D won’t be noticeably better in 2023?
Not Utah, but the quality of the D will depend on how quickly Tackett Curtis develops and how well the OLB position plays. And if Grinch can figure out how to cover a TE. I expect huge improvement for the the first 6 games and then reversion to the Cotton Bowl. Remember, I predicted Grinch does not survive the season.
If Grinch doesn’t last past 2023, let alone get canned earlier, it won’t be because of the amazing Tackett Curtis, who is already easily one of the most impressive newcomers, both on and off the field. Sometimes I’m still shocked USC was able to reel in the 6-3, 220-pound head hunter.
We’re talking about immediate big impact here. USC ILB coach Brian Odom, who easily beat OHIO ST and WIS for Curtis, deserves a lot of credit.
oh those confusing double negatives…so I think you are saying the quality of play of Tackett Curtis will NOT affect the career of Grinch?
Rephrase — Tackett Curtis will strongly benefit Grinch.
I expect them to be better, but after last year I am not convinced we have the right guy leading them. Right now Utah has our number and the psychological game is a big part of it.
As bad as our defense was, USC still only lost to UTAH by one single point, 43-42, on Oct. 15 in SLC, and refs definitely affected that outcome, at least for the sake of argument.
I don’t expect a great defense by any means. But I do expect one that won’t outright lose games for us, as was the case in 2022.
Plus, USC gets UTAH at the Coliseum this time.
Utah and Oregon, stop offs to something better. SC would so donimate the Pac12 if stayed, but so glad to be moving on. It will be hard to call the Pac12 a power 5 conf in a couple years. End of ’24 we will have Power 4 and Group of 6!
I really think that with the loss of USC and UCLA, the Pac-12 has been reduced to a mid-major football conference (but I will miss routinely playing CU with Primetime as their coach). JMHO.
Greg McElroy grades Lincoln Riley an ‘A’ for first year at USC Sam Gillenwater (on3.com) — “Lincoln Riley experienced some very high highs in his first season in Los Angeles. He brought USC back to national prominence at 11-3 and, although the Trojans didn’t finish the job in their final two games, it didn’t stop Greg McElroy from giving Riley his flowers. “In a recent episode of ‘Always College Football’, McElroy graded Riley’s first-year performance in LA as an A. He recognizes the shortcomings that USC had in the postseason but, as a whole, he thinks Riley’s resume in 2022 stacks up with anyone considering… Read more »
We watched it from home. My brother the rebel was a ucla fan and went crazy when Beban hit Altenburg. Everyone else went stone silent.
I was only 10 years old when this game was played in 1965. My family was living in Sacramento at the time and my grandparents had taken us to the Stanford game in Palo Alto earlier in the season. That was my first exposure to USC football in person. My Dad lamented about the loss to UCLA which is the subject of the blog post. My Dad moved our family back to Glendale in 1967 and the first USC game I witnessed in the LA Coliseum was the classic 1967 UCLA game where OJ ripped off that unbelievable 64 yard run. USC… Read more »
I was a freshman in 65. Most of my friends from high school, including the girl I was dating, were freshmen at UCLA. The day of the game was gloomy and cold. UCLA did nothing all day. Even though SC had thrown away a lot of points, they were still in total control with 5 minutes left. Enough in control that I lit up my victory cigar. Then Garrett had a long run. Ballgame, I thought. But the play was called back for holding. Next play, Garrett fumbled. Next play, touchdown Bruins, then 2-point conversion. Suddenly, 16-14. Next play, onside… Read more »
Thanks for the correction SC Gator. The Stanford game I saw in Palo Alto must have been 1964 because Mike Garrett was the tailback.
Yep. Garrett only played in Palo Alto once, and it was in 64.
I remain amazed that USC has hired three former football greats to be our athletic directors, none with any previous AD experience. That has got to be a Guinness record of some sort, especially since each was on a Super Bowl team.
We must be a football school.
Garrett, at least, had some executive experience before he was hired and got other AD work after he was fired. He didn’t do a great job, but I thought he was qualified for the job when he was hired. Can’t say the same about either Haden or Swann.
Garrett’s over-abrasiveness is well-documented, and he scared the heck out of some USC people during his Trojan tenure. But I doubt there has ever been a man or woman who cared about USC football/athletics more than Garrett, USC’s first Heisman winner. He got the ball rolling and deserves enormous credit for that. Unfortunately, in 2016, Garrett was accused of sexual harassment by a CAL State LA admin who also sued him. The suit was settled for $2.75 mil and Garrett retired after less than a year on the job. I never thought he was smart to call the NCAA “jealous.… Read more »
Fair assessment. But Gqrrett would have never in a million years have put up with Helton. And the coaching candidates he hired, even though they failed until PC, were all qualified and well thought of. Even Hackett had a top resume at the time he was hired. But if you didn’t win, you were out in 3-years. I would love to hear what he thought of Swann & Haden as ADs.
I would also love to hear what he thought of John Robinson — no phone messages allowed. What the heck happened to those guys?
Paul Hackett was SO bad though. Garrett still deserves a pretty bad ding for that, but as you say, at least he put the hammer down after three years and 19-18. At least he hired Ed O to USC as well.
I didn’t go to the game (grandma was babysitting), but I remember Mom and Dad returning in the evening. Dad was speechless, Mom just said, “we LOST!”
Driving home with my friend and his dad, Marshall Duffield (QB captain of the 1930 Trojans), after the game was the longest ride from L.A. to Newport you could ever imagine. We were all near silent if I remember correctly (pretty hard to believe with two 13-yr olds in the car) — “speechless”, just like your father. ✌