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1961 USC Trojans football team

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1961 USC Trojans football
ConferenceAthletic Association of Western Universities
Record4–5–1 (2–1–1 AAWU)
Head coach
CaptainBritt Williams
Home stadiumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Athletic Association of Western Universities football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 16 UCLA $ 3 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
USC 2 – 1 – 1 4 – 5 – 1
Washington 2 – 1 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Stanford 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
California 1 – 3 – 0 1 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 USC Trojans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern California (USC) as a member of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), commonly known at the time as the Big 5 Conference, during the 1961 college football season. In their second year under head coach John McKay, the Trojans compiled a 4–5–1 record (2–1–1 in conference games), finished in a tie for second place in the AAWU, and were outscored by a total of 167 to 151. In non-conference games, they defeated SMU and Illinois, but lost to Georgia Tech, Iowa, Notre Dame, and Pittsburgh.[1]

End Hal Bedsole was the leading receiver in the conference with 27 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns. Bedsole also led the team with 38 points scored. Quarterbacks Bill Nelsen and Pete Beathard combined for 1,165 passing yards, and fullback Ben Wilson led the team with 619 rushing yards.

The team included a large group of sophomores and juniors (including Bedsole, Beathard, Nelsen, Wilson, Willie Brown, Frank Buncom, and Marv Marinovich) who returned to lead the undefeated 1962 USC Trojans football team to a national championship.

The Trojans played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 22Georgia Tech*
L 7–2732,928-36,950[2]
September 29SMU*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 21–1629,148[3]
October 7No. 1 Iowa*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
L 34–3530,263[4][5]
October 14at No. 8 Notre Dame*
L 0–3050,427[6]
October 21at California
W 28–1438,000[7]
October 28Illinois*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 14–1028,694[8]
November 4at Washington
T 0–055,200[9][10]
November 11Stanforddagger
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)
W 30–1536,598[11]
November 18at Pittsburgh*
L 9–1034,820[12]
November 25UCLA
L 7–1057,580[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Statistics

[edit]

Quarterback duties were split between Bill Nelsen and Pete Beathard. Nelson led the team in passing yards (39-for-86, 683 yards, 4 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 115.8 quarterback rating). Nelson also ranked third in the conference in total offense with 835 yards. Beathard led the team in pass completions (40-for-83, 482 yards, 3 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 92.0 quarterback rating).[14] Beathard was also the team's second leading scorer with five touchdowns (including a 52-yard punt return for touchdown) for 30 points.[15]

End Hal Bedsole was the conference's leading receiver with 27 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns. Bedsole also led the team, and ranked third in the conference, with 38 points scored (six touchdowns and a reception for a two-point conversion).[16]

USC had three of the top ten rushers in the conference. Fullback Ben Wilson led the team, and ranked third in the conference, with 619 rushing yards on 139 carries for an average of 4.5 yards per carry. Willie Brown ranked seventh in the conference with 333 yards on 57 carries, and Pete Beathard ranked tenth with 290 yards on 54 carries.[16][17]

Ernie Jones was the leading punter in the conference, averaging 39.6 yards on 38 punds.[17]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Five USC players received first-team honors on the 1961 All-Pacific Coast football team selected by the Associated Press (AP), the All-West Coast team selected by the United Press International (UPI), or the all-conference team announced by the AAWU: fullback Ben Wilson (AP-1, UPI-1, AAWU-1); end Hal Bedsole (AP-2, UPI-1, AAWU-1); guard Britt Williams (AP-1, AAWU-1); tackle Frank Buncom (AAWU-1, AP-2); and quarterback Pete Beathard (AAWU-1).[18][19][20]

Bedsole was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

Guard Britt Williams was selected prior to the season to serve as the team captain. He was USC's first solo captain since 1949.[21]

Personnel

[edit]

Players

[edit]
  • Chuck Anderson (#61), guard, 210 pounds
  • Pete Beathard, quarterback, 190 pounds
  • Hal Bedsole (#19), end, 215 pounds
  • Willie Brown (#26), halfback, 170 pounds
  • Frank Buncom (#78), tackle, 218 pounds
  • Mike Bundra (#79), tackle, 230 pounds
  • Ken Del Conte (#20), halfback, 175 pounds
  • Phil Hoover (#85), end, 190 pounds
  • Skip Johnson (#54), center, 187 pounds
  • Ernie Jones, kicker
  • Pete Lubisch (#69), guard, 195 pounds
  • Jim Maples (#33), halfback, 175 pounds
  • Marv Marinovich, guard
  • Rich McMahon (#43), fullback
  • Bill Nelsen (#16), quarterback, 190 pounds
  • Ben Rosin (#81), end, 195 pounds
  • Hal Tobin (#45), fullback
  • Britt Williams (#64), captain and guard, 6'1", 212 pounds
  • Ben Wilson (#49), fullback, 215 pounds

Coaches and administrators

[edit]
  • Head coach - John McKay (third year)
  • Assistant coaches - Mel Hein, Roy George, Charlie Hall, Mike Giddings, Marv Goux, Dave Levy, and Joe Margucci[22]
  • Athletic director - Jess Hill[23]
  • Trainer - Jack Ward[24]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1961 USC Trojans Schedule and Results". S/R College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  2. ^ 1962 USC yearbook, p. 267, attendance 36,950.
  3. ^ Al Wolf (September 30, 1961). "Brown Runs 93 For TD; Trojans Win; 29,148 See SMU Bow, 21-16". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 4 (part II) – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Paul Zimmerman (October 8, 1961). "Top-Rated Iowa Holds Off USC, 35-34". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 4 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Hollis Included on Injured List" (PDF). The Daily Iowan. October 10, 1961. p. 4. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  6. ^ Al Wolf (October 15, 1961). "Irish Slaughter USC: Trojans Battered by 30-0". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 5 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Al Wolf (October 22, 1961). "USC Upsets Cal on Beathard's Passes: Troy Tops Race With 28-14 Win". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 6 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Al Wolf (October 29, 1961). "USC Fights Off Inspired Illini, 14-10: Game Ends on Troy's 8-Yd. Line". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 2 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Paul Zimmerman (November 5, 1961). "Trojans, Huskies Settle for Scorless Tie: Teams Blow Field Goals in Bitter Big 5 Game". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 2 (section H) – via Newspapers.com. (attendance 55,200)
  10. ^ 1962 USC yearbook, p. 267, attendance 55,200.
  11. ^ Al Wolf (November 12, 1961). "USC Stays in Bowl Race, Whips Tribe: Stanford Fumbles Assist USC, 30-15: Homecoming Crowd of 36,598 Sees Troy Set Up Rose Bowl Bid Game With UCLA". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 2 (section H) – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Don Griffin (November 19, 1961). "Pitt Edges Southern Cal, 10-9: Trojans Gamble For Victory Fails On Conversion Try". The Pittsburgh Press. pp. 1, 4 (section 4) – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Paul Zimmerman (November 26, 1961). "UCLA Sloshes To Bowl Over USC, 10-7: Rain Pelts 57,580 at Big Battle". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 5 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "1961 Southern California Trojans Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  15. ^ 1962 USC yearbook, p. 267.
  16. ^ a b "Bowl-Bound Bruins Nail Down Three of Six Titles". Daily News-Post. November 28, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b "Bruin Tailbacks Win Big 5 Crowns". Independent (Long Beach). November 30, 1961. p. E4 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "AP West Coast All-Stars: Easbay Players Named". Oakland Tribune. December 7, 1961. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "8 Schools on UPI All-Coast Team". Independent-Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA). December 3, 1961. p. C5 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Five From SC Picked". Valley Times. December 7, 1961. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Britt Williams Named USC 1961 Grid Captain". The Los Angeles Times. September 2, 1961. p. 3 (part II) – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ 1962 USC yearbook, p. 266.
  23. ^ 1962 USC yearbook, p. 260.
  24. ^ 1962 USC yearbook, p. 261.
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