1930: USC, 47 vs. Pittsburgh, 14

When your team is beaten, 47-14, making it the most one-sided loss in Rose Bowl history, there’s not a whole lot to say, which is precisely what Pittsburgh coach John “Jock” Sutherland had for reporters following his 1930 Rose Bowl Game defeat.

“We were beaten by a better team; that’s all,” Sutherland said, as reported by the Pasadena Star-News.

The Trojans went to the air to beat their East Coast guests, passing for 279 yards and four touchdowns, with passes setting up two more scores.

Pittsburgh entered the game undefeated, and a win would have secured an undisputed national championship. In addition, their roster was stacked with All-Americans.

“(USC quarterback Russell) Saunders looked like a real All-American,” wrote former Alabama All-American Johnny Mack Brown as a guest reporter for the United Press. “Seventy thousand persons came out to see the All-Americans from Pittsburgh, but they soon forgot them, watching Saunders.”

“Racehorse” Saunders shared duties with Marshall Duffield, but it was Saunders who thrilled the 70,000-plus at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

On Pittsburgh’s first play from scrimmage in the game, All-American quarterback Toby Uansa broke open off tackle and was off for what appeared to be a sure touchdown. However, Saunders ran him down after nearly 70 yards and saved the score. The rest of the USC defense finished what Saunders started and held Pittsburgh.

On offense after the defensive stop, Saunders then scored touchdowns with his next three passes, two going to end Harry Edelson.

By halftime, USC had compiled a 26-0 lead over the shell-shocked Panthers.

And not only did those 26 points for their Trojans thrill USC fans, the 0 in Pittsburgh’s column did as well.

Pittsburgh entered the game with a playbook full of “Pop Warner’s Stanford delayed bucks and triple passes, which ordinarily would be very effective,” Brown wrote. “It seemed that the Panthers were too slow in handling the ball before they got it into forward motion. Southern California’s forward wall broke through and smeared the plays before they got started.

“Instead of seeing the beautiful Pittsburgh team they expected, the fans were greeted by a Trojan eleven that was smarter in every department.”

In the second half, Pittsburgh mustered two passing touchdowns of its own to keep from being shut out, but USC slammed the door with 21 more points of its own.

It was USC coach Howard Jones’ first Rose Bowl Game appearance and the first of his Rose Bowl Game-record five victories in the next 10 years without a loss.

Brown prophesied: “As long as Howard Jones is coach at University of Southern California, that school will have a team that is fighting for national honors.”

Attendance
72,000

Scoring
First Quarter
USC – Edelson, 55-yard pass from Saunders (Shaver kick good)
USC – Pinckert, 25-yard pass from Saunders (Shaver kick blocked)

Second Quarter
USC – Duffield, 1-yard run (Baker kick failed)
USC – Duffield, 1-yard run (Baker kick good)

Third Quarter
USC – Saunders, 16-yard run (Shaver kick good)
Pitt – Walinchus, 28-yard pass from Baker (Parkinson kick good)
USC – Edelson, 39-yard pass from Saunders (Baker kick good)

Fourth Quarter
Pitt – Collins, 36-yard pass from Williams (Parkinson kick good)
USC – Wilcox, 57-yard pass from Duffield (Duffield dropkicked extra point)

Coaches
USC: Howard Jones
Pittsburgh: John “Jock” Sutherland

Weather
74 degrees

Fun Fact
The Trojans’ 47 points in the 1930 Rose Bowl Game was the most scored against Pittsburgh since 1903.

Individual Stats
Rushing
USC: Saunders 20-67; Duffield 7-21; Shaver 8-30
Pitt: Uansa 11-74; Walinchus 15-65; Parkinson 10-26; Clark 6-40

Passing
USC: Saunders 5-8-163, 3 touchdowns; Duffield 3-6-116, 1 touchdown
Pitt: Uansa 2-8-49 yards; Walinchus 2-7-40 yards; Parkinson 0-4