# 1972 USC Trojans football team

The 1972 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. The Trojans won all twelve of their games, outscored their opponents 467–134, and were consensus national champions.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 9 | at No. 4 Arkansas* | No. 8 | War Memorial StadiumLittle Rock, AR | W 31–10 | 54,461 |
| September 16 | Oregon State | No. 1 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | W 51–6 | 56,305 |
| September 23 | at Illinois* | No. 1 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | W 55–20 | 61,277 |
| September 30 | Michigan State* | No. 1 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | W 51–6 | 63,934 |
| October 7 | at No. 15 Stanford | No. 1 | Stanford StadiumStanford, CA (rivalry) | W 30–21 | 84,000 |
| October 14 | California | No. 1 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | W 42–14 | 56,488 |
| October 21 | No. 18 Washington | No. 1 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | W 34–7 | 59,151 |
| October 28 | Oregon | No. 1 | Autzen StadiumEugene, OR | W 18–0 | 32,000 |
| November 4 | vs. Washington State | No. 1 | Husky StadiumSeattle, WA | W 44–3 | 46,000 |
| November 18 | at No. 14 UCLA | No. 1 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA (Victory Bell) | W 24–7 | 82,929 |
| December 2 | No. 10 Notre Dame* | No. 1 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA (rivalry) | W 45–23 | 75,243 |
| January 1, 1973 | vs. No. 3 Ohio State* | No. 1 | Rose BowlPasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) | W 42–17 | 106,869 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

## Roster

    Source:

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
| AP | 8 | 1 (13) | 1 (28) | 1 (28) | 1 (36) | 1 (34) | 1(28) | 1 (44) | 1 (41) | 1 (40) | 1 (42) | 1 (44) | 1 (46) | 1 (50) | 1 (50) |
| Coaches | 8 | 2 (11) | 1 (14) | 1 (20) | 1 (22) | 1 (21) | 1 (22) | 1 (32) | 1 (31) | 1 (27) | 1 (31) | 1 (31) | 1 (31) | 1 (35) | Not released |

## Game summaries
### At No. 4 Arkansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 8 Trojans | 0 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 31 |
| No. 4 Razorbacks | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Tailback Rod McNeill, who sat out the previous year with a hip injury, led the Trojans with 117 yards on 28 carries while Mike Rae, a backup for two seasons, completed 18 of 24 passes for 269 yards and in the second half completed nine straight passes at one point in his first start.

### Oregon State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Beavers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 7 | 13 | 17 | 14 | 51 |
* Anthony Davis 25 rushes, 206 yards

### At Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 7 | 13 | 15 | 20 | 55 |
| Fighting Illini | 7 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 20 |

### Michigan State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Spartans | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 14 | 7 | 3 | 27 | 51 |

### At No. 15 Stanford

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 13 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 30 |
| No. 15 Cardinals | 10 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 21 |

### California

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Bears | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 14 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 42 |

### No. 18 Washington

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 7 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 34 |

### Oregon

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 18 |
| Webfoots | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
On a very rainy and cold day, the Trojans were held to their lowest score of the season.

### Washington State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 3 | 14 | 7 | 20 | 44 |
| Cougars | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |

### At No. 14 UCLA

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| No. 14 Bruins | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Anthony Davis 25 Rush, 178 Yds

### No. 10 Notre Dame

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Fighting Irish | 3 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 23 |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 19 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 45 |

### Vs. No. 3 Ohio State (Rose Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 3 Buckeyes | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| • No. 1 Trojans | 7 | 0 | 21 | 14 | 42 |
* John McKay's 100th career victory
* Anthony Davis 157 Rush Yds
* Sam Cunningham set Rose Bowl scoring record (previous - 18 by three players)

## NFL Draft

Ten Trojans were selected in the 1973 NFL draft, with three in the first round.
* List of USC Trojans in the NFL draft