Here’s the famous Craig Fertig-to-Rod Sherman touchdown catch that provided the winning points as USC upset No. 1-ranked Notre Dame, 20-17, in 1964 at the Coliseum.
Notre Dame led 17-0 and 17-7 entering the fourth quarter.
The winning touchdown pass came with 1:43 left, and more importantly, on fourth down and 8.
“I studied the Notre Dame-Stanford film for six hours last night and I have reached one conclusion: Notre Dame can’t be beaten,” John McKay said the Monday before the game.
In a strange incident largely forgotten, USC linebacker Ernie Pye walked through a plate-glass window at the team hotel dining room, cut his heel and missed the game.
“O.K., fellows. Ernie’s given us the idea for today,” McKay said. “We’ve got to crash their glass.”
Also forgotten: Notre Dame fumbled in the third quarter at the USC 9-yard line and then had a holding penalty on a 1-yard TD run.
Those plays kept USC within striking distance and set up one of the most memorable plays in USC history.
The celebration was muted later that night when USC found out the faculty representatives of the Athletic Association of Western Universities curiously voted for co-champion Oregon State to represent the conference in the Rose Bowl.
USC was 7-3. Oregon State was 8-2. The USC argument was it played a tougher schedule. The Trojans defeated then-No. 2 Oklahoma, lost to then-No. 2 Ohio State and beat No. 1 Notre Dame.
The Beavers had beaten then-No. 8 Syracuse and No. 10 Oregon.
“So far as I am concerned, this is one of the rankest injustices ever perpetrated in the field of intercollegiate athletics,” USC athletic director Jess Hill said.
(Photo courtesy USC Digital Library)
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
Since Helton is not a good enough coach to create new memories and moments for USC football, it looks like we will just have to remember the good old days.
Hey Blogger, maybe your next post can ask fans “What has been the most epic, earth – shattering and memorable moment from the Clay Helton era?
#MaybeHeltonCanUpsetBamaAtTheEndOfTheGameInThe2020Opener
#YesterdayU
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Happy New Year everyone!
Since we are strolling down memory lane…
On this date: Jan. 4, 2006, USC played in the greatest college game ever played!
#thatwasagoodday
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Didn’t know Ted was such a big Texas fan…..
#Ted:”Actually,I’mNot.I’mJustAHater…”
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“Happy New Year”…so Ted has been on a 4 month bender?
#ICanBelieveIt
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I’m so old I remember when ruins like Owns called us that and we ignored them as cranks. Now it’s true.
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That game was one for the ages. Trojan win kept ND from finishing #1.
Scottie, the historical posts are truly great. If only there was someone in the administration who had any sense of the historical significance of football for understanding the soul of the university.
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Maybe there is something to the hiring of people that “Get USC”.
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It’s funny that the person who said that hired all people who didn’t ‘get USC’…..
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Scott doing what Scott does best: Reminding us of another time……
#….WhichSeemsHarder&HarderToBelieveEverHappened…
#[FoltWouldn’tHaveLikedMcKayButHeWould’veSteamrolledHer]……
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I still remember the 14-13 Halloween trick or treat loss to Washington that season and how upset the fans around us were. It ended up costing us the Rose Bowl.
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I remember my parents being livid upon hearing the bowl news. There was also something about repeating the rose bowl. But those were the days that limited teams to the conference bowl and no other. The decision ended the season for the team.
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Correct…B10 and PCC/AAWU/PAC8 rule for Rose Bowl was a no repeat , it was from the 40’s…and the only Conf Champs went to a bowl or any ncaa playoffs, included Bsktbl, and that was into the 70’s. BOB BOYDS 28-2 SC TEAM was finished at seasons end …no ncaa tourney for them,only ucla went.
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17 points in a game? More like 17 in a quarter. Please don’t delete my post.
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My brother and I were sitting in the closed end of the Coliseum which is where the TD pass was caught….the place exploded with cheering…Coliseum was always full for SC vs ND and ucla…
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Had the Rams Fans in the end zone shown in that picture already headed for the exits to beat the traffic with 1:43 left?
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Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, gt.
As for me, I was a grammar school kid .. ..listening to my transistor radio….and saying prayers for USC
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At 3:00 The greatest play this century
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I don’t think you need to limit it to this century…..
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That 4th and 9 was a gutsy call, worked to perfection!
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Yes…and do you know who called it, tebow? None other than Monte’s little boy, Lane. He told Carroll that Notre Dame’s defensive back kept inching toward scrimmage on every snap.
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Leinart said in an interview that he called an audible for that play
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