CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1949 California

10–⁠1 (7–⁠0 Pacific Coast Conference), coached by Pappy Waldorf, finished No. 3 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

California in 1949, game by game: won vs. Santa Clara 21–7; won vs. Saint Mary’s (CA) 29–7; won at Oregon State 41–0; won at Wisconsin 35–20; won vs. No. 12 USC 16–10; won vs. Washington 21–7; won at No. 20 UCLA 35–21; won vs. Washington State 33–14; won vs. Oregon 41–14; won at No. 12 Stanford 33–14; lost vs. No. 5 Ohio State 14–17+41−3Won 21–7 vs. Santa Clara+14Santa ClaraWon 29–7 vs. Saint Mary’s (CA)+22Saint Mary’s (C…Won 41–0 at Oregon State+41Oregon StateWon 35–20 at Wisconsin+15WisconsinWon 16–10 vs. No. 12 USC+6No. 12 USCWon 21–7 vs. Washington+14WashingtonWon 35–21 at No. 20 UCLA+14No. 20 UCLAWon 33–14 vs. Washington State+19Washington StateWon 41–14 vs. Oregon+27OregonWon 33–14 at No. 12 Stanford+19No. 12 StanfordLost 14–17 vs. No. 5 Ohio State-3No. 5 Ohio State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 17vsSanta ClaraW 21–⁠768%
Sep 24vsSaint Mary’s (CA)W 29–⁠782%
Oct 1atOregon StateW 41–⁠062%
Oct 8atWisconsinW 35–⁠2069%
Oct 15vs12USCW 16–⁠1069%
Oct 22vsWashingtonW 21–⁠789%
Oct 29at20UCLAW 35–⁠2165%
Nov 5vsWashington StateW 33–⁠1488%
Nov 12vsOregonW 41–⁠1478%
Nov 19at12StanfordW 33–⁠1463%
Jan 2Bowls & playoffvs5Ohio StateRose BowlL 14–⁠1768%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Ohio State 17–⁠14 in the Rose Bowl; No. 3 in the final AP poll; Pacific Coast Conference champions.

In program history: The best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 112 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 10
  2. Wk 2: 9
  3. Wk 3: 5
  4. Wk 4: 4
  5. Wk 5: 4
  6. Wk 6: 4
  7. Wk 7: 3
  8. Wk 8: 2
  9. Final: 3

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1949.

Pacific Coast Conference champions7–⁠0 in the conference

Consensus All-AmericanRod Franz, OG

Record
10–⁠1
Conference
7–⁠0 first in Pacific Coast Conference
AP final
No. 3 peak No. 2
Points
319–⁠131
Coach
Pappy Waldorf
Elo
1743 +125 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
26.9 No. 2 of 119 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Offense
Single-wing

All-Pacific Coast

4 first team

First team

  • Bob CeleriB
  • Jim TurnerOTAP-1; Coaches-1; INS-1
  • Jim CullomOTAP-2; Coaches-1; INS-1
  • Rod FranzOGAP-1; Coaches-1; INS-1

From Wikipedia’s 1949 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1949 Pacific Coast Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
California7–⁠010–⁠13
UCLA5–⁠26–⁠3
Stanford4–⁠27–⁠3–⁠1
USC4–⁠25–⁠3–⁠1
Oregon State5–⁠37–⁠3
Oregon2–⁠54–⁠6
Washington2–⁠53–⁠7
Washington State2–⁠63–⁠6
Idaho1–⁠43–⁠5
Montana0–⁠35–⁠4

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.