While walking out of WG stadium on Saturday, I could not help thinking about the Notre Dame vs. USC game in 1974. I was there at the LA Coliseum as a high school student. ND was the defending national champion. Both teams were highly ranked and they played at the end of the regular season over Thanksgiving weekend. ND went up 24-0 and was dominating. USC scored at the very end of the first half and the 2 point conversion failed. Halftime score was 24-6 and no one thought USC would win. ND had the best defense in the nation.
On the 2nd half kick off, Heisman trophy winner Anthony Davis ran it back 100 yards for a touchdown. ND never recovered and lost 55-24. USC scored 49 unanswered points in the second half. For many years it was considered one of the most memorable games college football ever produced. USC went on to be crowned national champion in the coaches poll. ND finished 4th after winning the Orange Bowl. Legendary ND coach Ara Parsegian retired after the bowl game citing stress as the reason. He was 51 and never coached again.
The USC comeback was more spectacular than what we saw last Saturday but Davis’ 46 point 2nd half explosion in front of 24,000 at WG stadium is something that all Griz fans thought could not happen - USC did it at home in front of a sellout crowd.
This is not a great story for the Griz or its fans but let’s hope they come back and I think they will.
On the 2nd half kick off, Heisman trophy winner Anthony Davis ran it back 100 yards for a touchdown. ND never recovered and lost 55-24. USC scored 49 unanswered points in the second half. For many years it was considered one of the most memorable games college football ever produced. USC went on to be crowned national champion in the coaches poll. ND finished 4th after winning the Orange Bowl. Legendary ND coach Ara Parsegian retired after the bowl game citing stress as the reason. He was 51 and never coached again.
The USC comeback was more spectacular than what we saw last Saturday but Davis’ 46 point 2nd half explosion in front of 24,000 at WG stadium is something that all Griz fans thought could not happen - USC did it at home in front of a sellout crowd.
This is not a great story for the Griz or its fans but let’s hope they come back and I think they will.
