CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1979 USC

11–⁠0–⁠1 (6–⁠0–⁠1 Pac-10), coached by John Robinson, finished No. 2 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

USC in 1979, game by game: won at Texas Tech 21–7; won at Oregon State 42–5; won vs. Minnesota 48–14; won at No. 20 LSU 17–12; won vs. Washington State 50–21; tied vs. Stanford 21–21; won at No. 9 Notre Dame 42–23; won at California 24–14; won vs. Arizona 34–7; won at No. 15 Washington 24–17; won vs. UCLA 49–14; won vs. No. 1 Ohio State 17–16+37Won 21–7 at Texas Tech+14Texas TechWon 42–5 at Oregon State+37Oregon StateWon 48–14 vs. Minnesota+34MinnesotaWon 17–12 at No. 20 LSU+5No. 20 LSUWon 50–21 vs. Washington State+29Washington StateTied 21–21 vs. Stanford0StanfordWon 42–23 at No. 9 Notre Dame+19No. 9 Notre DameWon 24–14 at California+10CaliforniaWon 34–7 vs. Arizona+27ArizonaWon 24–17 at No. 15 Washington+7No. 15 WashingtonWon 49–14 vs. UCLA+35UCLAWon 17–16 vs. No. 1 Ohio State+1No. 1 Ohio State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 8atTexas TechW 21–⁠761%
Sep 15atOregon StateW 42–⁠584%
Sep 22vsMinnesotaW 48–⁠1486%
Sep 29at20LSUW 17–⁠1259%
Oct 6vsWashington StateW 50–⁠2192%
Oct 13vsStanfordT 21–⁠2179%
Oct 20at9Notre DameW 42–⁠2349%
Oct 27atCaliforniaW 24–⁠1474%
Nov 3vsArizonaW 34–⁠786%
Nov 10at15WashingtonW 24–⁠1762%
Nov 24vsUCLAW 49–⁠1483%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs1Ohio StateRose BowlW 17–⁠1663%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Ohio State 17–⁠16 in the Rose Bowl; No. 2 in the final AP poll; Pac-10 champions.

In program history: The 7th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 112 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 1
  2. Wk 2: 1
  3. Wk 3: 1
  4. Wk 4: 1
  5. Wk 5: 1
  6. Wk 6: 1
  7. Wk 7: 4
  8. Wk 8: 3
  9. Wk 9: 3
  10. Wk 10: 4
  11. Wk 11: 4
  12. Wk 12: 4
  13. Wk 13: 2
  14. Wk 14: 3
  15. Final: 2

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 1979.

Pac-10 champions6–⁠0–⁠1 in the conference

Led the nationCharles White: rushing yards (2,050 yds)

Heisman TrophyCharles White, RB; also the Maxwell and Walter Camp

Lombardi AwardBrad Budde, OG

2 consensus All-AmericansBrad Budde, OG; Charles White, RB

Record
11–⁠0–⁠1
Conference
6–⁠0–⁠1 first in Pac-10
AP final
No. 2 peak No. 1
Points
389–⁠171
Coach
John Robinson
Elo
1828 +133 this season
SP+ rating
28.6 No. 1 of 135; offense No. 3, defense No. 17
SRS
27.8 No. 1 of 140 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Captains
Dennis Johnson and Charles White

Drafted in 1980

The 1980 draft
Rd 1Anthony Munoz OTCincinnati Bengals
Rd 1Brad Budde CKansas City Chiefs
Rd 1Charles White RBCleveland Browns
Rd 2Larry McGrew LBNew England Patriots
Rd 3Myron Lapka DTNew York Giants
Rd 4Ray Butler WRBaltimore Colts
Rd 4Dennis Johnson LBMinnesota Vikings
Rd 4Paul McDonald QBCleveland Browns
Rd 6Chris Foote CBaltimore Colts

All-Pac-10

10 first team, 5 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1979 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1979 Pac-10 standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
USC6–⁠0–⁠111–⁠0–⁠12
Washington5–⁠29–⁠311
Oregon4–⁠36–⁠5
Arizona4–⁠36–⁠5–⁠1
California5–⁠46–⁠6
Stanford3–⁠3–⁠15–⁠5–⁠1
Arizona State3–⁠46–⁠6
UCLA3–⁠45–⁠6
Washington State2–⁠63–⁠8
Oregon State1–⁠71–⁠10

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