Bigger Than This?
When No. 1 USC plays No. 3 Ohio State, will it be bigger than the No. 1 USC vs. No. 2 Oklahoma game in 1981 at the Coliseum?
That game will be hard to top for drama, as USC won 28-24 when quarterback John Mazur threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Fred Cornwell with two seconds left.
Best part of that ending was Robinson laughing with Mazur during the timeout before the final play. It really loosened up Mazur.
With ESPN, the Internet, and blogs, etc, this game can and will be much more hyped.
I'm a huge SC fan since 1978, and I barely know the game you are citing. The AD vs. Notre Dame comeback game seems alot "bigger." Even the Bush Push and recent Trojan BCS win over OU seem bigger if not better.
USC was down 10 points early in the 4th quarter. Yet, Robinson stayed with the run, and Marcus Allen ran for over 200 yards. The Sooners couldn't stop him. USC scored the final 14 points of the game. Mazur made the game winning throw. - his career highlight. It was a very big deal then, but time erodes its significance.
I was there.
It was a remarkable SC finish, and I recall sitting next to an Oklahoma fan, and when the game ended in the dramatic last second SC touchdown, we turned to each other and said that we had just witnessed the two best teams in the nation.
Epilogue: It was not true. Oklahoma and SC were not the best teams that year.
Further Epilogue: That was basically the last hurrah for SC football for a long, long time. As I recall Troy went on probation because of Robinson's indiscretions, and that hurt the program a great deal. That, and a series of mediocre coaches over the next two decades did not help. Yes, Troy went to the Rose Bowl with its 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1995 teams,but they did not carry the prestige or swagger of Pete Carrolls's teams.
But who cares. The past is quickly forgotten, the future is speculative at best, and it is all about the present. SC is No. 1!
If I remember correctly, Marcus was the SI coverboy after that victory over the Sconers. In my opinion (and everyone can argue this), but I saw one of the greatest runs ever, performed by Marcus. And it was nothing more that just Student Body Right, but the run, the blocking, just whole play was perfect. Will this game be bigger than the 81 game? If the Trojans blow the "Uckeyes" off of the field, will it be a let down in the rest of football countries eyes? Will it be another question of a Big 10 team being overly hyped, and not able to win the big one? To me it does not matter. I want a Trojans victory which will deliver a "huge" statement to the rest of this nation (and the SEC can kiss off after that). Fight On
someone mentioned a different ranking the other day. I brought this up earlier but check out the poll on uscfootblog.blogspot.com
And of course this game will be bigger. ESPN alone made it bigger. It made people outside of USC and Ohio care more or at least be more aware.
Like most Lawyer John posts, hogwash.
The l980's produced some great Trojan teams that played with heart. l987 upset of Bruin's greatest team was the highlight and was one of greatest Trojan moments.
As for swagger, those teams were not into themselves like last 3 years. Confidence is good, pride is good and I think this year's team (off one game) has it, and maybe the best compliment off Virgina game I could give would be to compare their focus to the less talented but true Trojan teams of the 80's that dominated the Pac 10.
SC was arguably the team of the 60s, along with Alabama and Texas. National Championships in 62 and 67;
SC was the team of the 70s with 3 National Championships in 72, 74 and 78 (and a near miss in 79);
Miami was the team of the 80s. In the 80s a weak 84 SC team beat an even weaker Ohio State in the Rose Bowl; a pretty good 87 team lost to an inferior Michigan State; the 88 team was very good but got beat soundly by Notre Dame and then lost to underdog Michigan; the 89 did beat Michigan with a controversial play;
Nebraska was the team of the 90s. SC lost 8 straight years to you-know-who, and carried on a streak of I believe 12 straight years with no victories over Notre Madam. One team went to the Rose Bowl and beat an underdog in a close game.
The 2000s belong to LSU and SC. If one of these teams can pull off a third National title in 2008 or 2009 then that team can be "crowned" the team of the '00s or early 2000s. SC has the best chance.
I was young then, but I remember that game OU game like it was yesterday. In fact, I was thinking about the last great regular season match ups in the Coliseum. The 1988 game vs. Notre Dame came to mind, but it was one we have all tried to forget (who keeps kicking the ball to a guy that is about to win the Heisman, Tim Brown, and just give him the trophy?). Then I thought of that game back in '81. That was an incredible job done by that O-Line lead by Roy Foster and Bruce Matthews.
USC vs OSU '08 greatest RBs of all time - MARCUS!