1946: USC, 14 vs. Alabama, 34

This was the year the hometown Trojans’ Rose Bowl Game magic ran out. After winning games in eight consecutive Rose Bowl Game appearances dating back to 1923, USC finally fell. And they fell hard, getting pummeled by Alabama, 34-14, in the final game against an at-large team from the East Coast. The following season began the tradition featuring the Pac-10 champion versus the Big Ten champion.

How bad was the beating? USC gave up more points in this game than in all its previous eight Rose Bowl Game wins combined. The underdog Trojans (7-3) earned just three first downs compared to 18 for Alabama and had just 41 total yards (six on the ground and 35 through the air) compared to Alabama’s 292 on the run and 59 via the pass as Frank Thomas’ Crimson Tide finished the season 9-0.

The game was all but over at halftime as Alabama led 20-0 and USC was limited to no first downs (it got its first with 39 minutes having elapsed) and minus-23 total yards.

‘Bama’s all-everything quarterback-halfback Harry Gilmer hurt USC mostly on the run, gaining 113 yards on 16 carries. The sophomore Gilmer ended the year fifth in the Heisman voting and was also used as a punter and kickoff returner. He led the nation in 1945 in touchdown passes with 13 and ran for nine more touchdowns. He averaged 7.0 yards a carry and had a passing percentage of .648. His total offense, 1,457 yards, was second in the nation.

The trio of James Corbitt (46 yards), Gordon Pettus (39 yards) and Lowell Tew (43 yards) rumbled through the USC defense as well. Alabama scored three of its five touchdowns on 1-yard runs, including two by quarterback Hal Self. Only the defensive play of Ted Tannehill in the secondary prevented the score from being worse.

And two late scores by USC prevented the shutout and made the final score at least respectable. The Trojans’ first score came after an Alabama fumble gave USC the ball on the Alabama 20. One Southland newspaper gave this account of what happened next:

“Verl Lillywhite passed to Harry Adelman in the end zone. The ball appeared certain of being knocked down by ‘Bama’s Morrow, but no – Morrow, deflected it, all right, but sent it a foot or two into the air instead of downward, and – so help me – Adelman caught the bobble for six points.”

USC would add a score with just a minute to play when Myron Doombos blocked an Alabama punt. Chick Clark picked up the ball and ran it all the way, and Lillywhite converted the extra point to complete the game’s scoring.
 

Attendance
93,000

Weather
76 degrees

Scoring
First Quarter
Ala – Self, 1-yard run (Morrow kick good)

Second Quarter
Ala – Self, 1-yard run (Morrow kick good)
Ala – Tew, 5-yard run (Morrow kick missed)

Third Quarter
Ala – Hodges, 1-yard run (Morrow kick good)

Fourth Quarter
Ala – Gilmer, 20-yard pass from Self (Morrow kick good)
USC – Adelman, 26-yard pass from Lillywhite (Bowman kick good)
USC – Clark returned a blocked kick (Lillywhite kick good)

Coaches
USC: Jeff Cravath
Alabama: Frank Thomas

Fun Fact
Alabama handed USC its first loss after eight victories in the Rose Bowl Game, beating the Trojans, 34-14.

Individual Stats
Rushing
Ala: Gilmer 16-113; Corbitt 8-46; Pettus 5-39; Tew 12-43