Go beyond the scoreboard
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With USC playing in its final season in the Pac-12, The Times is revisiting the top five games in the history of each conference series. This week: USC versus California.
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Oct. 20, 1951: No. 11 USC 21, No. 1 Cal 14
USC halfback Frank Gifford (16) is about to be brought down by California defensive guard Les Richter after a short gain in Berkeley on Oct. 20, 1951. Pat Duff (36) is seen at left.
(Associated Press)
Frank Gifford powered USC to an upset over top-ranked Cal by running for a 69-yard touchdown, throwing for another score and leading the game-winning drive in the final minutes. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer led USC back from a 14-0 halftime deficit to snap Cal’s 38-game regular-season winning streak. Gifford was named an All-American that season before being drafted by the New York Giants.
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Nov. 7, 1981: No. 3 USC 21, Cal 3
USC’s Marcus Allen sits and jokes around with teammates Dennis Edwards, Byron Darby and George Achica on the Trojans’ campus on Oct. 5, 1981.
(Lennox McLendon / Associated Press)
Marcus Allen broke Tony Dorsett’s then-NCAA single-season rushing record with 243 rushing yards on 44 carries against the Bears. The star USC running back passed Dorsett’s mark of 1,968 yards and became the NCAA’s first 2,000-yard rusher the next week en route to winning USC’s fourth Heisman Trophy.
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Oct. 10, 1998: Cal 32, No. 19 USC 31
USC receiver R. Jay Soward outruns California defenders, scoring a touchdown as Billy Miller celebrates on Oct. 10, 1998, at the Coliseum.
(Reed Saxon / Associated Press)
A three-yard touchdown run by Marcus Fields with 3:30 remaining completed a 21-point second-half comeback for Cal at the Coliseum. USC led 31-10 with 7:21 left in the third quarter after R. Jay Soward returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown. The Bears started the comeback with a safety with 4:04 left in the third and Fields scored two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
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Sept. 27, 2003: Cal 34, No. 3 USC 31 (3OT)
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The triple-overtime heartbreaker was the only blemish on USC’s record, leaving the Trojans out of the BCS national championship game despite USC being ranked first in the AP and Coaches Polls.
Riding an 11-game winning streak, USC fought back from a 21-7 halftime deficit and tied the game on a 26-yard pick six by Lofa Tatupu with 7:16 remaining in the third quarter and sent it to overtime with a 33-yard field goal by Ryan Killeen with 16 seconds left. The Trojans fumbled on their first possession of overtime and extended the game by blocking Cal’s field goal attempt. After the teams traded touchdowns in the second overtime and Killeen missed a 39-yarder to begin the third, Cal kicker Tyler Frederickson ended the game with a 38-yard winner.
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Oct. 9, 2004: No. 1 USC 23, No. 7 Cal 17
USC quarterback Matt Leinart and coach Pete Carroll celebrate a win.
(Associated Press)
The first top-10 matchup in the series since 1952 didn’t disappoint. USC held Aaron Rodgers and Cal scoreless after having first-and-goal from the nine-yard line on the final drive by coming up with a sack and three consecutive incompletions to avenge USC’s only loss from the previous season. Rodgers tied an NCAA record by completing his first 23 passes, finishing with 267 yards and one touchdown on 29-of-34 passing. USC, which led 23-10 with 12:11 remaining in the third after a 16-yard touchdown pass from Matt Leinart to Dwayne Jarrett, held on for the victory despite not recording a first down in the fourth quarter.
