The 1962 USC Trojans football team represented the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
(USC) in the
1962 NCAA University Division football season
The 1962 NCAA University Division football season was played by American football teams representing 140 colleges and universities recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as major programs. The remaining 370 colleges a ...
. In their third year under head coach
John McKay, the
Trojans
Trojan or Trojans may refer to:
* Of or from the ancient city of Troy
* Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans
Arts and entertainment Music
* ''Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 1890 ...
compiled an 11–0 record (4–0 against conference opponents), won the
Athletic Association of Western Universities
The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States. It participates at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level for all sports, and its football teams compete in the Football Bowl ...
(AAWU or Big 6) championship, and defeated
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
in the
Rose Bowl on
New Year's Day
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year, January 1, 1 January. Most solar calendars, such as the Gregorian and Julian calendars, begin the year regularly at or near the December solstice, northern winter ...
. USC outscored their opponents 261 to 92, and finished first in
both major polls, released prior to the
bowls
Bowls, also known as lawn bowls or lawn bowling, is a sport in which players try to roll their ball (called a bowl) closest to a smaller ball (known as a "jack" or sometimes a "kitty"). The bowls are shaped (biased), so that they follow a curve ...
.
Junior quarterback
Pete Beathard completed 54 of 107 passes for 989 yards with ten touchdown passes and only one interception. (
Bill Nelsen also completed 36 of 80 passes for 682 yards and eight touchdown passes with two interceptions.) Willie Brown was the team's leading rusher with 574 rushing yards (and 291 receiving yards).
Hal Bedsole was USC's leading receiver with 33 catches for 827 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bedsole was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
in 2012.
Two USC players were selected by the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
(AP) for the
All-Coast team; end Bedsole and linebacker Damon Bame. Bedsole was a consensus
All-American
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
in 1962,
while Bame received first-team honors from the AP.
Schedule
Game summaries
Duke
SMU
Statistics
*Receiving:
Hal Bedsole 4 receptions, 112 yards, 2 TD
[2012 USC football media supplement.]
California
Statistics
*Receiving:
Hal Bedsole 6 receptions, 201 yards, 2 TD
Players
The following players were members of the 1962 USC football team.
[1963 "El Rodeo" (USC yearbook), pages 206-209.]
*
Damon Bame, linebacker
*
Pete Beathard, quarterback
*
Hal Bedsole, end
* Willie Brown, halfback
* John Brownwood, end
* Ron Butcher
* Mac Byrd
* Jay Clark
* Ken Del Conte, halfback
*
Craig Fertig, quarterback
* Bill Fisk
* Mike Gale
* Stan Gonta
* Ron Heller
*
Fred Hill
* Gary Hill
* Phil Hoover
* Hudson Houck
* Loran Hunt
* Tom Johnson
* Ernie Jones
* Randy Jones
* Gary Kirner, tackle
* Pete Lubisich, guard
* Tom Lupo
*
Marv Marinovich, guard
* Rich McMahon
*
Bill Nelsen, quarterback
* Gary Potter
* Ernie Pye
* John Ratliff, guard
* Lynn Reade
* Larry Sagouspe
* Armando Sanchez
* Denny Schmidt
* Ron Smedley
*
Bob Svihus, tackle
* Toby Thurlow
* Gary Winslow
*
Ben Wilson, fullback
Coaching staff and administration
* Head coach:
John McKay
* Assistant coaches:
Mel Hein
Melvin Jack Hein (August 22, 1909 – January 31, 1992), nicknamed "Old Indestructible", was an American professional American football, football player. In the era of One-platoon system, one-platoon football, he played as a Center (gridiron foo ...
,
Mike Giddings,
Raymond George, Dave Levy, Charlie Hall,
Marv Goux, and Joe Margucci
[1963 "El Rodeo", page 211.]
* Athletic director:
Jess Hill
Jesse Terrill Hill (January 20, 1907 – August 31, 1993) was an American athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator who was best known for his tenure as a coach and athletic director at the University of Southern California (USC). His ...
[1963 "El Rodeo", page 202.]
* Senior manager: Mike Leddel
[
]
References
Further reading
* "Trojans 1962: John McKay's First National Championship", by Bill Block, iUniverse, 2012
{{Pac-12 Conference football champions
USC USC may refer to:
Education
United States
* Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Santurce, Puerto Rico
* University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
** University of South Carolina System, a state university system of South Carolina
* ...
USC Trojans football seasons
College football national champions
Pac-12 Conference football champion seasons
Rose Bowl champion seasons
College football undefeated seasons
USC Trojans football
The USC Trojans football program represents the University of Southern California in the sport of American football. The Trojans compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate ...