Rose Bowl Memories - 1975

The worst thing about this video is that you have to listen to "Conquest" all the way through it. But I admit, back in my formative years, I was a big USC fan, and especially when they were playing Ohio State.

This was the rubber match between the two schools in the early 1970s. In the 1973 game, a great USC team had clobbered the Buckeyes 42-17, and the following year a great Ohio State team had clobbered the Trojans 42-21.

In 1975, the teams were evenly matched - both had lost a game in the regular season, but both were ranked in the Top 5, with a shot at the national championship with a victory.

It was a classic, tense game which came right down to the end when John McKay did the manly thing and elected to go for two (no overtime in those days), and the Trojans completed the pass (Pat Haden to Shelton Diggs) to escape with a hard-earned 18-17 victory.

And that evening in the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame (which had been blown out by USC 55-24 in their season closer) did the Trojans a favor by upsetting undefeated Alabama in the Orange Bowl, giving USC the national championship.

And once again, Woody Hayes was sent home to stew in his beer.