FOOTBALL

USC Picture Of The Day

Here is the annual visit to Disneyland by USC and Michigan for the 1970 Rose Bowl.

From the left, it’s Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, All-American tight end Jim Mandich, the Rose queen, USC linebacker/team captain Bob Jensen, USC All-American/defensive end Jimmy Gunn and USC assistant coach Marv Goux.

Schembechler had a heart attack the day before the game and did not coach.

10 thoughts on “USC Picture Of The Day”

  1. Talk about a defense…the Wild Bunch couldn’t be touched. Michigan had dominated #1 Ohio State at the end of the season to earn the Rose Bowl and they had scored more than 40 points several times that season. Hopefully we will hear from Bob Jensen, but that 6-2-3 scheme defensive scheme meant that it was nearly impossible to turn the corner against Gunn on one side and Weaver on the other, and then there was the strength in the middle led by Tody Smith.

    One of the most unique and successful Trojan teams of all time.

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    1. Interestingly, Michigan threw for something like 30-35 times that game, which was huge for that era. Still they lost. But it certainly is a different game today.

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  5. Thanks everyone for the nice comments.
    Our team was just phenomenal.
    We finished 10-0-1 .955 winning percentage.
    5th best in the 132 year history of USC Football!
    Only a tie with ND At South Bend 14-14 kept us from being considered No 1..
    I think we ended up 3 or 4 in the rankings.
    We should have been higher, since Michigan beat the defending National Champions Ohio
    State to get into the Rose Bowl.
    We had the Nation’s No 1 team defense ..
    And it was very difficult for any team to move the ball and score points on the Wild Bunch!
    The Cardiac Kids were just that!
    They always seemed to score when they had to. Our defense always gave them great field position, but they rarely took advantage of it.
    Our 14-14 tie with ND was very disappointing, since the offense always had a short field to work with, but never resume capitalize on it.
    I had a great time at USC going 32-2-2 in my four years. Undefeated freshman team and was honored to be their Captain.
    Jimmy Gunn and Charlie Weaver we’re awesome DE’s … Nobody could get around the edge! Tody Smith and Al Cowlings were
    the Dt’s and Bubba Scott was the NG.
    Future LA Ram Greg Slough was the Weakside LB and I was the Strong LB on the 5-2 defense and Middle LB on the Goal line and short yardage sets..
    DB’s were Ron Ayala, Tyrone Hudson, Sandy Durko and Jerry Shaw…
    Interesting that Michigan came into the Rose Bowl game averaging a lot of points per game
    And was certainly on a roll having beaten the enemy and defending National Champions Ohio State. But they met a great defense like ours!
    Bobby Chandler scored a great TD and Ron Ayala’s FG was all the offense could do, but it always seemed to play out that way with the
    Cardiac Kids! We won 10-3…
    Our Grand Marshal for the Game was one the the Astronauts that went to the moon!
    Also, we out ate Michigan and won the Famous Lawry’s Beef Bowl in the week before the game. I think one of our linemen had 6 complete dinners!!
    Great fun and life changing for me!
    Fight On!
    Bob Jensen #51 LB
    Team CoCaptain

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    1. Amazing stuff! Thanks for that fantastic summary. I’m a current student so I didn’t get to see your legendary team play, but I love hearing the history. I really, really appreciate you sharing it.

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    2. First CFB game I ever watched–at age 8–was the 1969 USC UCLA epic. Thank you.
      I liked it so much, that I watched the replay on KTLA on Sunday.

      Of course I watched that 1970 Rose Bowl. Hooked for life. Thank you.

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      1. They were awesome games to play in..
        We had great players and excellent, demanding coaches, who expected excellence in practice and during the game. My teammates were nice guys off the field too! But at game time, they turned their competition switches on …

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