1967 USC vs. UCLA football game
Encyclopedia
The 1967 USC vs. UCLA football game was an American College Football game played in the 1967 College Football Season
on November 18, 1967. The University of California at Los Angeles
, 7–0–1 and ranked Number 1, with senior quarterback Gary Beban
as a Heisman Trophy
candidate, played the University of Southern California
, 8–1 and ranked Number 4, with junior running back O.J. Simpson as a Heisman candidate. This game is widely regarded as the signature game in the UCLA-USC rivalry
as well as one of the 20th century Games of the Century
.
) met 7th ranked UCLA (led by All-Conference sophomore QB Gary Beban), with a berth in the 1966 Rose Bowl
on the line. The scoring opened with All-American Tailback Mel Farr
running 49 yards for a Bruin touchdown. The extra point was blocked, Despite dominating in the statistics, USC led only 16–6 with less than 4 minutes left in the game. UCLA linebacker Dallas Grider hit USC quarterback Troy Winslow and caused a fumble. UCLA scored on a Beban touchdown pass to Dick Witcher
and successfully converted a two-point conversion to make the score 16–14 (A tie would have sent USC to the Rose Bowl, hence the reason UCLA went for two). Then Grider then recovered an on-side kick and two plays later, Beban hit Kurt Altenberg, a decoy for Mel Farr, on a 49 yard touchdown bomb to win the game, 20–16. In the final Poll, UCLA was ranked 4th in the AP and 5th in the UPI. UCLA went on to upset #1 ranked Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl, 14–12. USC finished ranked #9 in the AP poll. Mike Garrett would go on to win the Heisman Trophy, but would not ever get to play in the Rose Bowl.
In 1966, due to uneven scheduling that left out new AAWU members Oregon and Oregon State, UCLA was 3–1 in conference games. The Bruins lost only one game, at Washington 16–3. USC was 5–0, but lost out of conference to Miami (Florida). It was widely assumed that the winner of the 1966 game between 8th ranked UCLA and 7th ranked USC would go to the 1967 Rose Bowl
. UCLA star QB Gary Beban was out with a broken ankle, but backup Norman Dow, making his first and only start at QB, led UCLA to a 14–7 win. A vote the next Monday among the AAWU conference athletic directors put USC in the Rose Bowl. It was speculated that this was to make up for 1964 when Oregon State was controversially voted in ahead of USC, and also because the directors believed Beban could not play for UCLA in the Rose Bowl due to the broken ankle, thereby giving the Big 10 representative (Purdue) a better chance to win. UCLA students protested by blocking the Northbound lanes of Interstate 405
at Wilshire Boulevard. A week after the vote, USC made the voters look really bad as they lost to Notre Dame 51–0. This still stands as the worst defeat in USC Trojan football history. USC entered the Rose Bowl unranked and lost to Purdue, 14–13. Ironically, Beban's ankle had healed and he could have played. UCLA finished fifth in both polls. In matches with the Rose Bowl on the line for both teams, UCLA was 6–1–1.
, Oregon State would beat top-ranked USC 3–0, as O.J. Simpson could not get going on the muddy field. USC dropped to #2 in the UPI and #4 in the AP, while UCLA ascended to the top ranking after their 48–0 win over Washington. It was the first time since since the 1955 season that UCLA was ranked #1, and only the fourth AP weekly poll in the history of the school. UCLA's tie and USC's loss were both inflicted by the Oregon State Beavers
and their famed "Giant Killers" team
. This same Oregon State team had defeated #2 ranked Purdue. But a 13–6 loss to Washington earlier in the season combined with the UCLA tie relegated the Beavers to second place.
, and for the likelihood that the winner of the game would be the AP Poll
National Champion, as the final poll was published at the end of the regular season. The next year, the final poll would be published after the bowl games.
Aside from conference standings, the top Heisman vote getter from the previous season, Beban, would meet Simpson, one of the most explosive running backs of that season. And as with all USC-UCLA games, the "championship" of Los Angeles and bragging rights within the city were also at stake. USC was the established football power with seven national championships, the most recent in 1962. UCLA was regarded as an upstart, but had one national championship in 1954.
until 1982
, when UCLA first went outside the city of Los Angeles
to play at the Rose Bowl
in Pasadena
. The 1967 game would be a USC "home" game, which meant that USC fans sat on the North side of the Coliseum, while the UCLA fans sat on the South (press box) side of the Coliseum. Both teams also wore their home uniforms when meeting at the Coliseum, UCLA in Powderkeg blue and USC in Cardinal.
began showing College football on television
in color the previous season. By the NCAA rules, only 8 national and 5 regional telecasts were allowed during the season. This game would be the ABC-TV game of the week and would be presented live in color and feature the ABC sports "Slo Mo replay". ABC's number one broadcast team of Chris Schenkel
and Bud Wilkinson
called the action.
kicked the extra point to make it 7–0. After a USC punt, Beban had the Bruins on the move again at the USC 41 yard line. The next play, Beban took a one step drop and faked a sideline pass to the right, then wheeled around and blindly threw a pass in the left flat intended for running back Greg Jones. However, USC linebacker Pat Cashman was not fooled by the fake to the right and jumped in front of Jones to take an interception return 55 yards for a USC touchdown. Rikki Aldridge kicked the extra point to tie the game. While O.J. Simpson's 64 yard run became famous, this play by Cashman turned the game around.
In the second quarter, after a UCLA missed field goal, Earl McCullouch would run 52 yards on a flanker reverse, and catch another 13 yard pass. This set up O. J. Simpson for a weaving 13 yard touchdown run through most of the UCLA defensive unit. He dragged two tacklers to the end zone.
In the third quarter Gary Beban hit George Farmer for a touchdown pass for 53 yards to tie the score. UCLA continued to dominate in the second half, despite the fact Beban had to be helped off the field numerous times after getting hit on his badly bruised ribs. Twice he drove the Bruins into field goal range. However, USC head coach John McKay had noticed that UCLA kicker Andrusyshyn kicked with a low trajectory, so he put 6'8" Bill Hayhoe
in the middle of the line on the Trojans field goal defense unit; Hayhoe blocked two field goals to keep the game tied.
With the game tied 14–14 early in the fourth quarter, an injured Beban gamely threw a touchdown pass to Dave Nuttall. The extra point attempt by Andrusyshyn was tipped by Hayhoe and went wide, resulting in a 20–14 UCLA lead.
Other key players were Ron Yary
, Tim Rossovich
, and Adrian Young
for the Trojans.
Famed Los Angeles Times columnist Jim Murray
wrote a memorable column after the game, stating among other things that he was "glad he didn't go to the opera after all," and that if "Beban wins the Heisman Trophy, they should give it to him and fill it with aspirin."
Beban did beat out Simpson for the 1967 Heisman Trophy; Simpson would win it the following year.
wrote that if "Gary Beban wins the Heisman Trophy, they ought to fill it with aspirin"
Keith Jackson
, who was in his first year in ABC football broadcasting narrating the taped highlights of the game, declared it many years later to be the greatest game he has ever seen. So did Giles Pellerin
, a USC graduate who attended every game USC played from 1926 until his death at the 1998 USC-UCLA game at the Rose Bowl, 797 straight games over 72 years, almost certainly a record for any college football fan.
Both Beban and Simpson were featured on the cover of the November 20 issue of Sports Illustrated
magazine.
UCLA had still beat the point spread, they were a three point underdog despite being ranked number 1.
led Syracuse 32–14. UCLA would not be invited to any bowl games due to the exclusive Big Ten/AAWU Rose Bowl agreement – only the conference champions could go to a bowl game until 1975. UCLA finished second in the AAWU tied with Oregon State at 4–1–1, ranked 10th in the Coaches' poll.
UCLA became the first school to have a top winner in both basketball and football in the same year with Gary Beban
winning the Heisman Trophy and Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
) winning the U.S. Basketball Writers Association
player of the year award in 1968.
, at a time when an NFL
season was still 14 games. But Beban was a bust as a pro; he was drafted by the Washington Redskins
, who already had a future Hall of Fame
quarterback in Sonny Jurgensen
. The Redskins moved Beban to wide receiver, and he lasted only two seasons.
was commissioned by Chevrolet
to paint a series commemorating the 100th anniversary of American intercollegiate football in 1969. He created four paintings, each representing major turning points in the intercollegiate game. Painting number four was titled O.J. Simpson Breaks for Daylight and captures a moment in this famous Game of The Century. These paintings were used during the 1969 Chevrolet advertising campaign
and were among the most demanding and exciting pieces Mr. Friberg had done. These paintings were such a success that they were taken on tour and shown at universities throughout the country.
Number 1 ranked USC would be heavily favored over a rebuilding 3–6 UCLA team again in 1968. UCLA took an early lead and trailed only 21–16 midway through the 4th quarter when they had a first and goal inside the USC 5 yard line. But UCLA fumbled and USC, led by Simpson who would win the Heisman Trophy, scored a clinching touchdown to win 28–16. Ironically, UCLA kicker Zenon Andrusyshyn was 3 for 3 on field goals and 1 of 1 on extra points. One week later USC would drop to #2 in the polls after being tied by Notre Dame, 21–21. The Trojans then lost to Ohio State 27–16 in a 1 vs. 2 matchup in the Rose Bowl. In 1969 both teams would be undefeated with the Rose Bowl on the line again. USC would prevail 14–12. The loss in 1969 reportedly affected UCLA coach Tommy Prothro
more than the 1967 loss. USC would get a 10–2–1 record against UCLA through the 1970s, and would win all six matchups in that period where the Rose Bowl was on the line for both teams. The Trojans would win three more National championships in 1972, 1974, and 1978. The 1972 Trojan team also was named one of the best teams of the 20th century. The Trojans would regain the top position again in college football in the 21st century.
Since that meeting UCLA would come close to a national championship in 1976, 1980, 1988 with a two week #1 ranking, and 1998, with a season-ending loss in Miami keeping them out of the first BCS championship. They did beat top ranked Ohio State in the 1976 Rose Bowl, and later won 3 Rose Bowls in 4 years in the early 1980s.
In a 1995 vote of the greatest moments in Los Angeles sports history, O.J. Simpson's touchdown run ranked #5. The 1965 UCLA defeat of USC in the UCLA-USC rivalry
game to get to the Rose Bowl ranked #35. Bob Stiles stop of Bob Apisa on the goal line to defeat Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl ranked #26.
1967 college football season
The 1967 college football season was the last one in which college football's champion was crowned before the bowl games. During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as Division I-A and now as Division I FBS...
on November 18, 1967. The University of California at Los Angeles
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
, 7–0–1 and ranked Number 1, with senior quarterback Gary Beban
Gary Beban
Gary Joseph Beban is a former American football player. Son of an Italian-born mother and a first generation Croatian-American father, Beban won the 1967 Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious award in college football, and the Maxwell Award, while playing quarterback for the University of...
as a Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate, played the University of Southern California
University of Southern California Trojans football
The USC Trojans football program, established in 1888, represents the University of Southern California in college football. USC is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I FBS and the Pacific-12 Conference . The Trojans have been a football powerhouse throughout NCAA...
, 8–1 and ranked Number 4, with junior running back O.J. Simpson as a Heisman candidate. This game is widely regarded as the signature game in the UCLA-USC rivalry
UCLA-USC rivalry
The UCLA–USC rivalry is the American college rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles and the USC Trojans sports teams of the University of Southern California ....
as well as one of the 20th century Games of the Century
Game of the Century (college football)
The phrase "Game of the Century" is a superlative that has been applied to several college football contests played in the 20th century, the first full century of college football in the United States...
.
1965–66
In 1965, 6th ranked USC (led by Mike GarrettMike Garrett
Michael Lockett Garrett is a former American collegiate and professional football player who won the 1965 Heisman Trophy as a tailback for the University of Southern California Trojans. Garrett also played professional football for eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers...
) met 7th ranked UCLA (led by All-Conference sophomore QB Gary Beban), with a berth in the 1966 Rose Bowl
1966 Rose Bowl
The 1966 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1966 was the 52nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the #1 ranked Michigan State Spartans by a score of 14–12. UCLA defensive back Bob Stiles was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game.-Teams:...
on the line. The scoring opened with All-American Tailback Mel Farr
Mel Farr
Melvin Farr is a former American football player.-Early life:As a youth, Farr played football, baseball, track and basketball. He graduated from Hebert High School in 1963, where he lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track...
running 49 yards for a Bruin touchdown. The extra point was blocked, Despite dominating in the statistics, USC led only 16–6 with less than 4 minutes left in the game. UCLA linebacker Dallas Grider hit USC quarterback Troy Winslow and caused a fumble. UCLA scored on a Beban touchdown pass to Dick Witcher
Dick Witcher
Dick Vernon Witcher was a former professional American football player. Witcher was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 8th round of the 1966 NFL Draft. At 6'3" Witcher was a wide receiver who first played two years at Bakersfield College, then graduated from UCLA...
and successfully converted a two-point conversion to make the score 16–14 (A tie would have sent USC to the Rose Bowl, hence the reason UCLA went for two). Then Grider then recovered an on-side kick and two plays later, Beban hit Kurt Altenberg, a decoy for Mel Farr, on a 49 yard touchdown bomb to win the game, 20–16. In the final Poll, UCLA was ranked 4th in the AP and 5th in the UPI. UCLA went on to upset #1 ranked Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl, 14–12. USC finished ranked #9 in the AP poll. Mike Garrett would go on to win the Heisman Trophy, but would not ever get to play in the Rose Bowl.
In 1966, due to uneven scheduling that left out new AAWU members Oregon and Oregon State, UCLA was 3–1 in conference games. The Bruins lost only one game, at Washington 16–3. USC was 5–0, but lost out of conference to Miami (Florida). It was widely assumed that the winner of the 1966 game between 8th ranked UCLA and 7th ranked USC would go to the 1967 Rose Bowl
1967 Rose Bowl
The 1967 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on Monday, January 2, 1967. It was the 53rd Rose Bowl Game. The Purdue Boilermakers defeated the USC Trojans, 14–13. John Charles, the Purdue defensive back, was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game.-Teams:This was the first Rose...
. UCLA star QB Gary Beban was out with a broken ankle, but backup Norman Dow, making his first and only start at QB, led UCLA to a 14–7 win. A vote the next Monday among the AAWU conference athletic directors put USC in the Rose Bowl. It was speculated that this was to make up for 1964 when Oregon State was controversially voted in ahead of USC, and also because the directors believed Beban could not play for UCLA in the Rose Bowl due to the broken ankle, thereby giving the Big 10 representative (Purdue) a better chance to win. UCLA students protested by blocking the Northbound lanes of Interstate 405
Interstate 405
Interstate 405 may refer to:* Interstate 405 , a bypass of Los Angeles, California* Interstate 405 , a loop in Portland, Oregon* Interstate 405 , a bypass of Seattle, Washington...
at Wilshire Boulevard. A week after the vote, USC made the voters look really bad as they lost to Notre Dame 51–0. This still stands as the worst defeat in USC Trojan football history. USC entered the Rose Bowl unranked and lost to Purdue, 14–13. Ironically, Beban's ankle had healed and he could have played. UCLA finished fifth in both polls. In matches with the Rose Bowl on the line for both teams, UCLA was 6–1–1.
1967 season
USC and UCLA began the season ranked seventh and eighth respectively. USC had been ranked #1 for six weeks since beating #5 Texas and later Michigan State. USC notched a 24–7 victory over #5 Notre Dame on October 14, 1967. UCLA also had been ranked in the top ten, reaching #2 before tying Oregon State 16–16 on November 4. A week later in a downpour in Corvallis, OregonCorvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, Oregon State would beat top-ranked USC 3–0, as O.J. Simpson could not get going on the muddy field. USC dropped to #2 in the UPI and #4 in the AP, while UCLA ascended to the top ranking after their 48–0 win over Washington. It was the first time since since the 1955 season that UCLA was ranked #1, and only the fourth AP weekly poll in the history of the school. UCLA's tie and USC's loss were both inflicted by the Oregon State Beavers
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
and their famed "Giant Killers" team
1967 Oregon State Beavers football team
The 1967 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State University in the 1967 NCAA college football season. The Beavers ended this season with seven wins, two losses, and a tie. The Beavers scored 187 points and allowed 137 points...
. This same Oregon State team had defeated #2 ranked Purdue. But a 13–6 loss to Washington earlier in the season combined with the UCLA tie relegated the Beavers to second place.
What was at stake
This game was for the championship of the AAWU (then informally known as the Pac-8 and now the Pac-12), a berth in the Rose Bowl gameRose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, and for the likelihood that the winner of the game would be the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
National Champion, as the final poll was published at the end of the regular season. The next year, the final poll would be published after the bowl games.
Aside from conference standings, the top Heisman vote getter from the previous season, Beban, would meet Simpson, one of the most explosive running backs of that season. And as with all USC-UCLA games, the "championship" of Los Angeles and bragging rights within the city were also at stake. USC was the established football power with seven national championships, the most recent in 1962. UCLA was regarded as an upstart, but had one national championship in 1954.
"Home" game
Both teams played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
until 1982
1982 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Paul "Bear" Bryant retire as head coach at Alabama with 323 career victories in 38 seasons.The Penn State Nittany Lions won their first consensus national championship, closing out an 11-1 season by defeating Georgia and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel...
, when UCLA first went outside the city of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to play at the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. The 1967 game would be a USC "home" game, which meant that USC fans sat on the North side of the Coliseum, while the UCLA fans sat on the South (press box) side of the Coliseum. Both teams also wore their home uniforms when meeting at the Coliseum, UCLA in Powderkeg blue and USC in Cardinal.
National television coverage
The American Broadcasting CompanyAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
began showing College football on television
College football on television
College football on television includes the broadcasting of college football games, as well as pre- and post-game reports, analysis, and human-interest stories. Within the United States, the college version of American football annually garners high television ratings.College football games have...
in color the previous season. By the NCAA rules, only 8 national and 5 regional telecasts were allowed during the season. This game would be the ABC-TV game of the week and would be presented live in color and feature the ABC sports "Slo Mo replay". ABC's number one broadcast team of Chris Schenkel
Chris Schenkel
Christopher Eugene "Chris" Schenkel was an American sportscaster. Over the course of five decades he called play-by-play for numerous sports on television and radio, becoming known for his smooth delivery and baritone voice.-Early life and career:Schenkel began his broadcasting career at radio...
and Bud Wilkinson
Bud Wilkinson
Charles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of 145–29–4. His Oklahoma Sooners won three national championships and 14...
called the action.
Scoring
UCLA opened the scoring when running back Greg Jones scored on a 12 yard run. Sophomore Zenon AndrusyshynZenon Andrusyshyn
Zenon Andrusyshyn of Ukrainian parents is a former Canadian Football League punter and kicker from for the Toronto Argonauts. He played in 1978 for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He later played with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League from 1983–1985...
kicked the extra point to make it 7–0. After a USC punt, Beban had the Bruins on the move again at the USC 41 yard line. The next play, Beban took a one step drop and faked a sideline pass to the right, then wheeled around and blindly threw a pass in the left flat intended for running back Greg Jones. However, USC linebacker Pat Cashman was not fooled by the fake to the right and jumped in front of Jones to take an interception return 55 yards for a USC touchdown. Rikki Aldridge kicked the extra point to tie the game. While O.J. Simpson's 64 yard run became famous, this play by Cashman turned the game around.
In the second quarter, after a UCLA missed field goal, Earl McCullouch would run 52 yards on a flanker reverse, and catch another 13 yard pass. This set up O. J. Simpson for a weaving 13 yard touchdown run through most of the UCLA defensive unit. He dragged two tacklers to the end zone.
In the third quarter Gary Beban hit George Farmer for a touchdown pass for 53 yards to tie the score. UCLA continued to dominate in the second half, despite the fact Beban had to be helped off the field numerous times after getting hit on his badly bruised ribs. Twice he drove the Bruins into field goal range. However, USC head coach John McKay had noticed that UCLA kicker Andrusyshyn kicked with a low trajectory, so he put 6'8" Bill Hayhoe
Bill Hayhoe
William J. Hayhoe II is a former American footballoffensive tackle in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers. Hayhoe played collegiate ball for Los Angeles Valley College and the University of Southern California before being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 5th...
in the middle of the line on the Trojans field goal defense unit; Hayhoe blocked two field goals to keep the game tied.
With the game tied 14–14 early in the fourth quarter, an injured Beban gamely threw a touchdown pass to Dave Nuttall. The extra point attempt by Andrusyshyn was tipped by Hayhoe and went wide, resulting in a 20–14 UCLA lead.
The big play
With 10:38 left in the game, USC faced a 3rd and 7 from its own 36 yard line. Trojan quarterback Toby Page, who had replaced an ineffective Steve Sogge, called a pass play, then saw the Bruin linebackers drop back into pass coverage. He changed the signals before the snap, calling an audible ("23 blast"), and handed off to Simpson. Simpson would later recall standing in his halfback position, hearing the audible and thinking to himself "Toby, it's 3rd and 7; this is a terrible call." Simpson veered to the left sideline, got a key block from fullback Dan Scott, and then cut back to the middle to run 64 yards for a touchdown. Rikki Aldridge kicked the extra point, and the Trojans led, 21–20. John McKay stated, "I believe it was the most exciting college run I've ever seen." By now Beban could barely move or breathe, and UCLA never crossed midfield again as USC won.Other key players were Ron Yary
Ron Yary
Anthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
, Tim Rossovich
Tim Rossovich
Timothy John "Tim" Rossovich is a retired American football linebacker and is currently an actor. He is the brother of actor Rick Rossovich....
, and Adrian Young
Adrian Young
Adrian Samuel Young is the drummer for the rock band No Doubt.-Biography:Young's parents were hippies. He has four brothers: Alex, Damian, Jeff and Aaron. His father is a teacher in Cypress CA and his stepmother, Jeanne, is currently suffering from ALS...
for the Trojans.
Famed Los Angeles Times columnist Jim Murray
Jim Murray (sportswriter)
James Patrick Murray was an American sportswriter at the Los Angeles Times from 1961 to 1998.Many of his achievements include winning the NSSA's Sportswriter of the Year award an astounding fourteen times...
wrote a memorable column after the game, stating among other things that he was "glad he didn't go to the opera after all," and that if "Beban wins the Heisman Trophy, they should give it to him and fill it with aspirin."
Beban did beat out Simpson for the 1967 Heisman Trophy; Simpson would win it the following year.
Aftermath
Playing with badly bruised ribs, Beban passed for 301 yards. Simpson had a phenomenal run and finished with two touchdowns, 177 yards and 30 carries. Commenting on Beban's heroic effort playing through injury, Famed L.A. Times columnist Jim MurrayJim Murray (sportswriter)
James Patrick Murray was an American sportswriter at the Los Angeles Times from 1961 to 1998.Many of his achievements include winning the NSSA's Sportswriter of the Year award an astounding fourteen times...
wrote that if "Gary Beban wins the Heisman Trophy, they ought to fill it with aspirin"
Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson is an American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports , his coverage of college football , his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R...
, who was in his first year in ABC football broadcasting narrating the taped highlights of the game, declared it many years later to be the greatest game he has ever seen. So did Giles Pellerin
Giles Pellerin
Giles L. Pellerin , nicknamed the Superfan or Super Fan, was an American telephone company executive and a fan of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team, notable for having attended 797 consecutive USC football games over a period of 73 years until his death at age 91...
, a USC graduate who attended every game USC played from 1926 until his death at the 1998 USC-UCLA game at the Rose Bowl, 797 straight games over 72 years, almost certainly a record for any college football fan.
Both Beban and Simpson were featured on the cover of the November 20 issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine.
UCLA had still beat the point spread, they were a three point underdog despite being ranked number 1.
UCLA vs. Syracuse
With Beban out due to the rib injury, a disheartened UCLA would lose the next week to Larry CsonkaLarry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
led Syracuse 32–14. UCLA would not be invited to any bowl games due to the exclusive Big Ten/AAWU Rose Bowl agreement – only the conference champions could go to a bowl game until 1975. UCLA finished second in the AAWU tied with Oregon State at 4–1–1, ranked 10th in the Coaches' poll.
Heisman trophy
Despite the losses, Gary Beban would win the Heisman Trophy. O. J. Simpson would win the Heisman trophy the next season. The most common reason given is that Simpson was a junior, and would have a chance the next year. At the time, the Heisman trophy was rarely given to an underclassman.UCLA became the first school to have a top winner in both basketball and football in the same year with Gary Beban
Gary Beban
Gary Joseph Beban is a former American football player. Son of an Italian-born mother and a first generation Croatian-American father, Beban won the 1967 Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious award in college football, and the Maxwell Award, while playing quarterback for the University of...
winning the Heisman Trophy and Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
) winning the U.S. Basketball Writers Association
Oscar Robertson Trophy
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's college basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association . The trophy is considered to be the oldest of its kind and has been given out since 1959...
player of the year award in 1968.
Rose Bowl
USC would go on to the 1968 Rose Bowl ranked #1 and defeat the #4 ranked Big Ten champion Indiana Hoosiers 14–3. #3 Oklahoma would defeat #2 Tennessee in the 1968 Orange Bowl.Simpson and Beban in the NFL
Simpson would go on to have one of the greatest professional careers any running back has ever had, rushing for over 11,000 yards, mostly for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, at a time when an NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
season was still 14 games. But Beban was a bust as a pro; he was drafted by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, who already had a future Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
quarterback in Sonny Jurgensen
Sonny Jurgensen
Christian Adolph "Sonny" Jurgensen III is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983....
. The Redskins moved Beban to wide receiver, and he lasted only two seasons.
Arnold Friberg Oils
Artist Arnold FribergArnold Friberg
Arnold Friberg was an American illustrator and painter noted for his religious and patriotic works. He is perhaps best known for his 1975 painting The Prayer at Valley Forge, a depiction of George Washington praying at Valley Forge. He is also well known for his 15 "pre-visualization" paintings...
was commissioned by Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
to paint a series commemorating the 100th anniversary of American intercollegiate football in 1969. He created four paintings, each representing major turning points in the intercollegiate game. Painting number four was titled O.J. Simpson Breaks for Daylight and captures a moment in this famous Game of The Century. These paintings were used during the 1969 Chevrolet advertising campaign
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
and were among the most demanding and exciting pieces Mr. Friberg had done. These paintings were such a success that they were taken on tour and shown at universities throughout the country.
Legacy
The 1967 USC Trojan football team has been named one of the best teams of the 20th century by the Sporting News and college football historian Richard Whittingham.Number 1 ranked USC would be heavily favored over a rebuilding 3–6 UCLA team again in 1968. UCLA took an early lead and trailed only 21–16 midway through the 4th quarter when they had a first and goal inside the USC 5 yard line. But UCLA fumbled and USC, led by Simpson who would win the Heisman Trophy, scored a clinching touchdown to win 28–16. Ironically, UCLA kicker Zenon Andrusyshyn was 3 for 3 on field goals and 1 of 1 on extra points. One week later USC would drop to #2 in the polls after being tied by Notre Dame, 21–21. The Trojans then lost to Ohio State 27–16 in a 1 vs. 2 matchup in the Rose Bowl. In 1969 both teams would be undefeated with the Rose Bowl on the line again. USC would prevail 14–12. The loss in 1969 reportedly affected UCLA coach Tommy Prothro
Tommy Prothro
James Thompson "Tommy" Prothro, Jr. was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Oregon State University from 1955 to 1964 and at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1965 to 1970, compiling a career college football record of 104–55–5...
more than the 1967 loss. USC would get a 10–2–1 record against UCLA through the 1970s, and would win all six matchups in that period where the Rose Bowl was on the line for both teams. The Trojans would win three more National championships in 1972, 1974, and 1978. The 1972 Trojan team also was named one of the best teams of the 20th century. The Trojans would regain the top position again in college football in the 21st century.
Since that meeting UCLA would come close to a national championship in 1976, 1980, 1988 with a two week #1 ranking, and 1998, with a season-ending loss in Miami keeping them out of the first BCS championship. They did beat top ranked Ohio State in the 1976 Rose Bowl, and later won 3 Rose Bowls in 4 years in the early 1980s.
In a 1995 vote of the greatest moments in Los Angeles sports history, O.J. Simpson's touchdown run ranked #5. The 1965 UCLA defeat of USC in the UCLA-USC rivalry
UCLA-USC rivalry
The UCLA–USC rivalry is the American college rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles and the USC Trojans sports teams of the University of Southern California ....
game to get to the Rose Bowl ranked #35. Bob Stiles stop of Bob Apisa on the goal line to defeat Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl ranked #26.
See also
- Game of the Century (college football)Game of the Century (college football)The phrase "Game of the Century" is a superlative that has been applied to several college football contests played in the 20th century, the first full century of college football in the United States...
- UCLA-USC rivalryUCLA-USC rivalryThe UCLA–USC rivalry is the American college rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles and the USC Trojans sports teams of the University of Southern California ....
- 1965 college football season1965 college football seasonDuring the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" polls. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press was the most popular,...
and 1966 Rose Bowl1966 Rose BowlThe 1966 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1966 was the 52nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the #1 ranked Michigan State Spartans by a score of 14–12. UCLA defensive back Bob Stiles was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game.-Teams:... - 1966 college football season1966 college football seasonThe 1966 college football season was marked by controversy as the year of "The Tie", a November 19 game between the two top-ranked teams, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Neither team participated in a post-season bowl game. At the same time, 1966 was the first year that the professional football...
and 1967 Rose Bowl1967 Rose BowlThe 1967 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on Monday, January 2, 1967. It was the 53rd Rose Bowl Game. The Purdue Boilermakers defeated the USC Trojans, 14–13. John Charles, the Purdue defensive back, was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game.-Teams:This was the first Rose... - 1967 college football season1967 college football seasonThe 1967 college football season was the last one in which college football's champion was crowned before the bowl games. During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as Division I-A and now as Division I FBS...
and 1968 Rose Bowl1968 Rose BowlThe 1968 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1968. It was the 54th Rose Bowl Game. The USC Trojans defeated the Indiana Hoosiers, 14–7. O. J. Simpson, the USC tailback, was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game.-Teams:... - Notre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalriesNotre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalriesNotre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalries refers to rivalries of the University of Notre Dame in the sport of college football. Notre Dame rivalries encompass many teams. Because the Fighting Irish are independent of a football conference, they play a more national schedule, and have thus...
Books
- Peters, Nick. (1988) College Football's Twenty-Five Greatest Teams: The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. Number 9 Southern California Trojans 1967 ISBN 0-89204-281-8 - White, Lonnie. (August 2004). UCLA vs. USC: 75 Years of the Greatest Rivalry in Sports: Los Angeles Times Books. ISBN 1-883792-27-4
- Whittingham, Richard. (December 1985). Saturday Afternoon: College Football and the Men Who Made the Day: Workman Pub Co. ISBN 0-89480-933-4 (Whittingham names the 1967 USC Trojans football team as the team of the decade for the 1960s)
Articles
- The Great One Confronts O.J. Sports Illustrated, November 20, 1967, Volume 27, Issue 21
- Florence, Mal – The Great Rivalries USC vs. UCLA. Athlon College Football Preview, Autumn 1990