National Championships

They whip the ends, they buck the guards, the line begins to yield
And the "greatest team in history" backs slowly down the field
And finally comes the whistle as a seal to Stanford's fate,
And the "greatest team in history" goes staggering through the gate

--Excerpt from a 1928 poem about the USC-Stanford clash.

1928 Howard Jones
1931 Howard Jones
1932 Howard Jones
1939 Howard Jones
1962 John McKay
1967 John McKay
1972 John McKay
1974 John McKay
1978 John Robinson
2003 Pete Carroll
2004 Pete Carroll

1928 National Champions. Howard Jones. Result 9-0-1
Utah State
Oregon St.
St. Mary's
California
Occidental
Stanford
Arizona
Wash. St.
Idaho
Notre Dame
total:
average: 		40-12 win
19-0 win
19-6 win
0-0
19-0 win
10-0 win
78-7 win
27-13 win
28-7 win
27-14 win
267-59
26.7-5.9 		The "Thundering Herd," under Hall of Fame coach Howard Jones, galloped to the Trojans' first national championship in 1928. A swarming defense, led by tackle Jesse Hibbs and end Garrett Arbelide, gave up only 59 points all season, while an offensive backfield of Harry Edelson, Russ Saunders, Don Williams and Marshall Duffield rolled over, under, and through their opponents.

1931 National Champions. Howard Jones. Result 10-1-0
St. Mary's
Oregon St.
Wash. St.
Oregon
California
Stanford
Montana
Notre Dame
Washington
Georgia
Tulane
total:
average: 		7-13 loss
30-0 win
38-6 win
53-0 win
6-0 win
19-0 win
69-0 win
16-14 win
44-7 win
60-0 win
21-12 win
363-52
33.0-4.7 		The 1931 edition of Howard Jones' "Thundering Herd" was the team that captured the imagination of college football fans everywhere, and the hearts of the citizens of Los Angeles. More than 300,000 welcomed the Trojans home from a thrilling 16-14 victory over Notre Dame in South Band - a victory clinched by what sportswriter Maxwell Stiles called "Jonny Baker's 10 little toes, and three BIG points." Johnny Baker kicked a game-winning 33-yard field goal with 1:00 remaining. The win snapped ND's 26-game unbeaten streak and was USC's first-ever win in South Bend.

1932 National Champions. Howard Jones. Result 10-0-0
Utah
Wash. St.
Oregon St.
Loyola
Stanford
California
Oregon
Washington
Notre Dame
Pittsburgh
total:
average: 		35-0 win
20-0 win
10-0 win
6-0 win
13-0 win
27-7 win
33-0 win
9-6 win
13-0 win
35-0 win
201-13
20.1-1.3 		In fact, some still regard this squad as USC's best team. The 1932 squad gave up only 13 points all season while scoring 201. It came against a tough schedule trouncing eight teams that finished with winning records. USC gave Utah, Washington State and Pittsburgh their only losses on the season. USC smashed Pittsburgh 35-0 in the Rose Bowl. Howard Jones appeared on the cover of TIME magazine as a sign of the upper echelon of collegiate coaches.

1939 National Champions. Howard Jones. Result 8-0-2
Oregon
Wash. St.
Illinois
California
Oregon St.
Stanford
Notre Dame
Washington
UCLA
Tennessee
total:
average: 		7-7
27-0
26-0
26-0
19-7
33-0
20-12
9-7
0-0
14-0
181-33
18.1-3.3 		As tanks rolled in Europe, Jones' team rolled to an 8-0-2 record, shutting out six teams and allowing just 7 points to three others. Only 33 points were scored upon Troy that year--a mark no Trojan defense has topped since. The regular season finale was an epic 0-0 tie with No.9 UCLA in front of 103,303, the second-largest crowd in Coliseum history. The capper was a 14-0 win over No.2 Tennessee in the Rose Bowl against a Volunteer team that hadn't been scored upon in 16 games and hadn't lost in 24 games.

1962 National Champions, John McKay, Result 11-0-0
Duke
SMU
Iowa
California
Illinois
Washington
Stanford
Navy
UCLA
Notre Dame
Wisconsin
total:
average: 		14-7 win
33-3 win
7-0 win
32-6 win
28-16 win
14-0 win
39-14 win
13-6 win
14-3 win
25-0 win
42-37 win
261-92
23.7-8.4 		In 1962, John McKay led USC to its first national championship, and inaugurated one of the greatest in college football history. During two decades from the year on, the Trojans won five national titles, appeared in 11 Rose Bowls, collected four Heisman Trophies, and contributed dozens of All-Americans. The 1962 Trojans outscored teams 261 to 92. McKay was honored Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Ass. and the Football Writers Ass. of America.

1967 National Champions, John McKay, Result 10-1-0
Wash. St.
Texas
Michigan St.
Stanford
Notre Dame
Washington
Oregon
California
Oregon St.
UCLA
Indiana
total:
average: 		49-0 win
17-13 win
21-17 win
30-0 win
24-7 win
23-6 win
28-6 win
31-12 win
0-3 loss
21-20 win
14-3 win
258-87
23.5-7.9 		The 1967 squad had many great weapons remarkably. O.J. Simpson ran for a then-NCAA record 1,709 yards and was the Heisman runner-up. Ron Yary won Outland Trophy, and then was selected as the top pick in the 1968 NFL Draft. Six Trojans were All-Americans and five went in the first round of the 1968 Draft. Simpson's 64-yard touchdown run became the most famous run in college football history, when the fourth-ranked Trojans defeated No.1 UCLA.

1972 National Champions, John McKay, Result 12-0-0
Arkansas
Oregon St.
Illinois
Michigan St.
Stanford
California
Washington
Oregon
Wash. St.
UCLA
Notre Dame
Ohio State
total:
average: 		31-10 win
51-6 win
55-20 win
51-6 win
30-21 win
42-14 win
34-7 win
18-0 win
44-3 win
24-7 win
45-23 win
42-17 win
467-134
38.9-11.2 		The 1972 national champions averaged 39 points per game and never trailed in the second half. The Trojans scored 467 points but allowed 135 points. The defense intercepted 28 passes, limited their opponents to 2.5 yards per rush. Stanford only came close with nine-point margin. The Trojans beat No.4 Arkansas 31-10, No.18 Washington 34-7, No.14 UCLA 24-7, No.10 Notre Dame 45-23 and No.3 Ohio State 42-17. The squad produced Lynn Swann, Charles Young, Sam Cunningham, Pat Haden, Anthny Davis, and so on.

1974 National Champions, John McKay, Result 10-1-1
Arkansas
Pittsburgh
Iowa
Wash. St.
Oregon
Oregon St.
California
Stanford
Washington
UCLA
Notre Dame
Ohio St.
total:
average: 		7-22 loss
16-7 win
41-3 win
54-7 win
16-7 win
31-10 win
15-15
34-10 win
42-11 win
34-9 win
55-24 win
18-17 win
363-142
30.3-11.8 		Against a 9-1 Notre Dame team, All-American tailback Anthony Davis scored four touchdowns as the Trojans blew the doors off the Irish for a 55-24 comeback win. The team got over a season opening loss to Arkansas and a tie against Cal to go on to win the Rose Bowl over Ohio State. USC had five players selected to the All-American team for the third consecutive year. Fourteen players from the 1974 team were taken in the NFL draft - an alltime record also shared by the 1976 Trojan team.

1978 National Champions, John Robinson, Result 12-1-0
Texas Tech
Oregon
Alabama
Michigan St.
Arizona St.
Oregon St.
California
Stanford
Washington
UCLA
Notre Dame
Hawaii
Michigan
total:
average: 		17-9 win
37-10 win
24-14 win
30-9 win
7-20 loss
38-7 win
42-17 win
13-7 win
28-10 win
17-10 win
27-25 win
21-5 win
17-10 win
318-153
24.5-11.8 		Even though the Trojans lost to Arizona State 20-7 midway through the season, this still might be one of the greatest and most talented teams of all time. 26 players were taken from this team over the following three drafts including Charles White, Anthony Munoz, Ronnie Lott, Roy Foster, and Keith Van Horn. That doesn't even count freshman running back Marcus Allen. John Robinson's squad gave Alabama its only loss of the season and finished the season beating Michigan 17-10 in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans beat ten teams that finished the season with a winning record. After a loss to Arizona State, USC would remain unbeaten for the next 28 games.

2003 National Champions, Pete Carroll, Result 12-1-0
Auburn
BYU
Hawaii
California
Arizona St.
Stanford
Notre Dame
Washington
Wash. St.
Arizona
UCLA
Oregon St.
Michigan
total:
average: 		23-0 win
35-18 win
61-32 win
31-34 loss
37-17 win
44-21 win
45-14 win
43-23 win
43-16 win
45-0 win
47-22 win
52-28 win
28-14 win
534-239
41.1-18.4 		USC closed the season with a 12-1 record by winning over No.4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl. USC scored at least 30 points in 11 consecutive games, including 40 points in 7 in a row(both Pac-10 records), en route to tallying 534 total points (Pac-10 mark). Five players won All-American first team honors. Carroll was recognized as the National Coach of the Year. Leinart was the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year and set a Pac-10 record with 38 TD passes. Udeze tied for the national lead in sacks with 16.5, while Malone shattered the USC season punting average record (49.0). The Trojan defense topped the nation in rushing defense and was second in turnover margin, forcing 42 turnovers and scoring 8 TDs.

2004 National Champions, Pete Carroll, Result 13-0-0
Virginia Tech
Colorado St.
BYU
Stanford
California
Arizona St.
Washington
Wash. St.
Oregon St.
Arizona
Notre Dame
UCLA
Oklahoma
total:
average: 		24-13 win
49-0 win
42-10 win
31-28 win
23-17 win
45-7 win
38-0 win
42-12 win
28-20 win
49-9 win
41-10 win
29-24 win
55-19 win
496-169
38.2-13 		Unlike 2003, this title was undisputed, as USC demolished Oklahoma in the BCS Championship Game in the Orange Bowl, 55-19. Troy went 13-0 overall and became just the second team ever to hold the AP No. 1 ranking from pre-season through the entire campaign. The Trojans swept traditional rivals UCLA and Notre Dame for an unprecedented third year in a row. Troy set a USC and Pac-10 record for home attendance average, as well as school record for overall attendance average. Troy was in the national Top 10 in every defensive statistical category, including 1st in rushing defense and turnover margin and 3rd in scoring defense. A school-record 6 Trojans were named All-American first teamers.
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