Football Classics - USC vs. Notre Dame 1974

one of the most thrilling victories in the history of USC football came on a late November afternoon in 1974 but it certainly didn't look like it would be much of a contest for a good portion of the game if the greatest inner-city rivalry in college football exists within two city limits of Los Angeles then the greatest intersectional contest in college football year in and year out hits the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame against the USC Trojans east-meets-west in style of play and in terms of historical perspective when these two institutions go at it every year as they have since 1927 when as the story goes Knute Rockne and Howard Jones set up the series with a bit of conspiratorial help from their wives but a national championship for either team is won or lost quite often at the hands of each other in 1964 the unbeaten Irish came to face six of three USC at the Coliseum and led 17 nothing at the half for John Mackay Stroup's rallied to win when Craig verdict found rod Sherman on the old 84 Z delay set the Coliseum on its ear and cost Notre Dame the national title after losing big at home in 66 Trojans snapped a 28 year losing streak in South Bend in 67 weren't beaten again by the Irish until 1973 yet 74 the Trojans opened the year at number five but were upset at Arkansas and later tied at home by Cal coming into this one though USC was rated 6th in the nation and it already clinched the conference title and the trip to the Rose Bowl Notre Dame was fifth and the top defense in the country it was all Notre Dame in the first half drue mihaela intercepts Pat Haden the Trojans took an unusual gamble on fourth and inches deep in their own territory in the first quarter a gamble that failed and led to another Notre Dame score Tom Clements Pete dev early second quarter or of the same part mcclain SC managed to score right before the break to get on the board trailing twenty four to six heading into the locker room there McKay told his troops gentlemen we're behind his cigar he says gentlemen in 1964 Craig verdict and Mike Geary's down 17 and I've been in a game like this if they can come back and win 20 to 17 we can come back and win we all look each other simultaneously that this man has lost his mind I'm coming with you at intermission here at the Coliseum for about 87,000 of Saeki kind of stunned disbelief not all of them because a good many of 80,000 of putting for the Irish of Notre Dame and they've had to be first half as Notre Dame is completely dominated this great collegiate rivalry this edition of it leading 24 to 6 here at the intermission yeah and went in and said boys we're not flames we did he said but we are really good food in Japan we deserve to play better so just relax and take a deep breath when we go out and said we will we will play better but we need something to happen we need we need somebody to do something Notre Dame will kick off all right McLaughlin attacks the football has been an Irish afternoon as he boots it high and long and deep in the end zone Davis coming out of the 10:15 blocks by mosy to to poo mario Salado freed Anthony Davis on one of his eleven career touchdowns against Notre Dame next it was Hayden to McKay 24 to 12 notre-dame SC a first and gold on the Irish sixth Hayden takes the snap the pigeon twenty four to nineteen Irish Mead 9:15 to play in the third period SC first incentive another Dame 21 eight in the corner back as Dixon motion to the left takes the snap takes the hand off the data right dojin's with an opportunity to go in front for the first time first go today you we must temper our enthusiasm by realizing there is all kinds of time left in this game and if Notre Dame ever gets over the shot this may be one of the greatest football games you will ever see I've said to myself and the other guys I say hey uh I was in the same place or am I dreaming this cannot be a football the same football game that I started out in uh maybe an hour and a half ago throughout this cannot be saying Marvin Cobb with a long punt return having the opportunity to be a player be down on the field to hear the reaction of the crowd every time we scored it just felt like goosebumps for a whole thirty minutes it just was awesome 27:24 USP waited 39 at the Kogan 18 take third down Carl Hayden rolling is gonna get Hey one of those magical moments of sport when things things seem to have slowed down during kind of a time warp or the plenty of protect Don was wide open and then the ball was well throw in the catching it was about everything was absolutely perfectly put there after winning better the Trojan defense featuring Richard wood Gary cheater art Riley Kevin Bruce and Danny Reese came alive here Charles Phillips with his first pick of the night two seconds remaining a third period and a big third and 15 play coming up Davison motion headin back to pass if you wonder why we're sitting here in almost complete disbelief and in case you've just wandered in off the golf court SC was trailing twenty four to six and now they lead 41 to 24 Hayden from 2:15 rolling when he boarded Nick when it's back to pass fires over the middle they're gone you believe the score here at the Coliseum is USC Notre Dame putting hard s-see went on to top Ohio State of the Rose Bowl in an 18 to 17 thriller and won the national championship all made possible with the comeback on November 30th 1974

Channel: USCAthletics

Views: 92,635

Keywords: american football, sports, University, College, Classics (Field Of Study), Ncaa, notre dame, usc, fighting irish, irish, football, classic, old, trojans, College Football (Sport), American Football (Sport), Sports, athletic, athletics, notre, dame, fighting, Football (ball), Highlights, california, southern, 1974

Id: iceQZSOGH-8

Length: 10min 46sec (646 seconds)

Published: Mon May 21 2012

Reddit Comments

[u/55USC]

I should not have watched this right before trying to go to bed. What am I supposed to do for the next 4 hours?

[u/nofate2029work]

Those drop backs by Haden were ridiculous, like 10-15 yds each time lol

I love watching these classic SC games, and I'm hoping for a similar score to the 74' game.

[u/NevanWhite]

Seems a lot like the 2010 Iron Bowl.