The only things riding on the outcome of this game were the Rose Bowl berth, a probable national title and the Heisman Trophy.

As Times sports editor Paul Zimmerman opined in his game advance: "Never in the history of college football have two teams approached the climax of a season with so much at stake."

Despite being ranked behind UCLA, USC was a three-point favorite. The Trojans featured junior running back O.J. Simpson. Quarterback Gary Beban led the Bruins.

UCLA took the lead on Greg Jones' 12-yard run in the first quarter, but USC tied the score on Pat Cashman's 55-yard interception return for a touchdown.

A 52-yard on a reverse by Trojan flanker Earl McCullouch set up a 13-yard touchdown run by Simpson for a 14-7 lead that the Trojans took into halftime.

Beban connected with George Farmer for 53 yards and a touchdown with two minutes left in third quarter, tying the score, then Beban's 20-yard touchdown pass to Dave Nuttall in the fourth quarter put UCLA ahead, 20-14.

But UCLA kicker Zenon Andrusyshyn, who had missed a 32-yard field goal attempt and had two others blocked, pushed the conversion kick wide, leaving the Bruins with a tenuous six-point lead.

UCLA Coach Tommy Prothro had instructed his players to help Simpson get up after he'd carried the ball so he could not rest on the ground. But with about 10:30 left, Simpson showed he still had plenty in reserve.

At third and eight on their own 36, the Trojans had replaced Steve Sogge at quarterback with Toby Page to get the better passer in the game. With a pass play called, Page changed the play at the line of scrimmage to "Red 23-Blast" when he saw the Bruins' linebackers drop back into a pass coverage. The play call would go to an exhausted Simpson who cut through the line then bounced left then cut back right and then looked to be shot out of a cannon.

Simpson took a handoff to the weakside and fullback Danny Scott and center Dick Allmon blocked All-American linebacker Don Manning.

"I ran into O.J. and bumped him to the outside," said Allmon, the president of an industrial warehousing company in Los Angeles. "Then I took off downfield, and he cuts back and here I am about to knock him down again."

Simpson, though, weaved his way 64 yards to a touchdown on a play regarded as one of the most legendary in college football. He finished with 177 yards in 30 carries.

"I knew he was tired at the end of that run," said McCullouch, who works for Federal Express and coaches high school track in Long Beach. "I said, 'Follow me, I'll get you there.... All I did was kind of convoy him in."

Rikki Aldridge kicked the extra point that stood up for a 21-20 victory.

Beban, who would win the Heisman Trophy, passed for 301 yards, even though he was forced to the sideline three times because of bruised ribs.

"That game never goes away not because of the loss," said Beban, who lives near Chicago and is managing director of corporate services for CB/Richard Ellis. "To be able to play for as many things as you could play for in college football, you should be happy for that."

The Trojans happily moved up to No. 1 and won the national title after beating the Bruins and defeated No. 4 Indiana in the Rose Bowl, 14-3. UCLA would finish 10th but Beban would win the Heisman Trophy. Simpson would win it in the following season.