1974: Ohio State, 42 vs. USC, 21

The USC Trojans and the rest of the nation were expecting the Ohio State Buckeyes to keep their infantry-like running attack in the 1974 Rose Bowl Game. However, it was Ohio State’s passing attack and quarterback Cornelius Greene that hurt the Trojans and gave the Buckeyes a 42-21 win.

Greene didn’t start well; his first pass of the game was intercepted. However, he managed to settle down and complete six of his next seven attempts. Greene kept the offense alive, with his passing and scrambling leading to four Ohio State touchdowns, giving Greene the Most Valuable Player award.

The Ohio State victory was “the greatest victory I ever had, or we ever had,” Head Coach Woody Hayes said.

Hayes had some help. After speaking with Notre Dame Head Coach Ara Parsegian, who defeated USC 23-14 earlier in the year, Hayes had his Ohio State team emphasize their passing attack in practice.

“Ara told me we could beat’em,” Hayes said. “But he said we’d better pass. So for 15 days we worked and worked and worked on the passing game.”

Although USC scored the first points of the game with an opening drive field goal, Ohio State answered back with a 1-yard touchdown run from fullback Pete Johnson. Johnson carried for 94 yards and three touchdown runs, along with teammate, tailback Archie Griffin, who accumulated 149 yards himself, including a 47-yard touchdown run at the close of the game.

The second quarter proved to be a dead heat with USC scoring another field goal and then adding a touchdown, 14-7. Ohio State however, would not be shut out in this quarter, scoring on another Johnson touchdown run and a 14-14 score at halftime.

Ohio State was looking to avenge its loss from the previous year, and Hayes wasn’t going to let his team forget that.

“Don’t forget you gave up in the second half last year,” Hayes told his team at half. “Now you have another chance to redeem yourselves.”

USC went up in the third quarter, scoring on its second possession of the second half with a touchdown run from Davis. The Buckeyes came back on the ensuing drive, scoring a touchdown but missing the extra point, 21-20 USC.

It wasn’t until a 56-yard punt return by Neal Colzie late in the third quarter gave Ohio State the momentum. The return gave the Buckeyes excellent field position on the Trojan 9-yard line and this time Greene hurt USC with his feet, running for the touchdown and giving the Buckeyes the lead, 27-21.

“The punt return by Neal was definitely the biggest play of the game,” Hayes said. “When Neal ran that punt back, I knew the horses were underway.”

The Ohio State offense couldn’t be stopped for the rest of the afternoon, adding two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

“Do I feel we’re the No. 1 team?” Hayes said. “Well you know I’m a little biased, but yes, today I’d certainly say we were No. 1. We played an excellent game, and Southern California is one of the best teams we’ve ever played.”
 

Attendance
105,267

Weather
Cloudy, cool; 55 degrees

Scoring
First Quarter
USC – Limahelu, 47-yard field goal
OSU – Johnson, 1-yard run (Conway kick good)

Second Quarter
USC – Limahelu, 42-yard field goal
USC – McKay, 10-yard pass from Davis (Haden passes to McKay for 2-point conversion)
OSU – Johnson, 1-yard run (Conway kick good)

Third Quarter
USC – Davis, 1-yard run (Limahelu kick good)
OSU – Johnson, 4-yard run (Conway kick blocked)
OSU – Greene, 1-yard run (Conway kick good)

Fourth Quarter
OSU – Elia, 2-yard run (Greene converts the 2-point conversion)
OSU – Griffin, 47-yard run (Conway kick good)

Coaches
USC: John McKay
Ohio State: Woody Hayes

Fun Fact
College football’s only two-time Heisman trophy winner, Ohio State’s Archie Griffin, rushed for 149 yards to lead the Buckeyes past USC.

Individual Stats
Rushing
USC: Davis 16-74; Moore 6-42; Haden 11-2; Diggs1-3; McNeill 8-46
OSU: Griffin 22-149; Johnson 21-94; Greene 7-45; Elia 8-27; Baschnagel 1-5

Passing
USC: Haden 21-39-229, Davis 1-1-10
OSU: Greene 6-8-129

Receiving
USC: McKay 6-83; Obradovich 2-28; Swann 5-47; McNeill 4-39; Moore 3-19; Davis 1-8; Diggs 1-15
OSU: Pagac 4-89; Hazel 1-15; Baschnagel 1-25

Punting
USC: Lucas 3-108
OSU: Keaton 2-82