1928 USC Trojans football team

1928 USC Trojans football
National champion (Dickinson) Co-national champion (Sagarin) PCC champion
Conference	Pacific Coast Conference
Record	9–0–1 (4–0–1 PCC)
Head coach	Howard Jones (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Single-wing
Captain	Jesse Hibbs
Home stadium	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

1928 Pacific Coast Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 USC $	4	–	0	–	1			9	–	0	–	1
No. 2 California ^	3	–	0	–	2			6	–	2	–	2
No. 4 Stanford	4	–	1	–	1			8	–	3	–	1
Oregon	4	–	2	–	0			9	–	2	–	0
Washington State	4	–	3	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Oregon State	2	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Idaho	2	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	1
Washington	2	–	4	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
UCLA	0	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	1
Montana	0	–	5	–	0			4	–	5	–	1
$ – Conference champion ^ – Selected as Rose Bowl representative (USC declined) Rankings from Dickinson System

The 1928 USC Trojans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern California in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1928 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Howard Jones, the Trojans compiled a 9–0–1 record (4–0–1 against PCC opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 267 to 59, and won the PCC championship.^[1]

The AP Poll did not exist at the time. The only contemporaneous rating system was the Dickinson System which was released on December 8, 1928.^[2] In addition to Dickinson, USC was recognized as the 1928 national champion by the Sagarin Ratings. Georgia Tech has been recognized as the national champion by the majority of later selectors.^[3]

Three USC players received honors on the 1928 All-America college football team: tackle Jesse Hibbs (first-team selection by Central Press Association and Newspaper Enterprise Association), center Nate Barragar (second-team selection by the Associated Press); and quarterback Don Williams (second-team selection by the North American Newspaper Alliance).^[4] Four USC players received first-team honors on the 1928 All-Pacific Coast football team: quarterback Don Williams (NEA-1, UP-1); fullback Lloyd Thomas (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1); end Lawrence McCaslin (NEA-1); and center Nate Barragar (AP-1).^[5][6][7]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 29	Utah Agricultural*	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 40–12	32,000	[8]
October 6	Oregon State	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 19–0	51,000	[9]
October 13	Saint Mary's*	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 19–6	45,000	[10]
October 20	at California	California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA	T 0–0	74,245 or 80,000	[11][12]
October 27	Occidental*	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 19–0	40,000	[13]
November 3	Stanford	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)	W 10–0	80,000	[14]
November 10	Arizona*	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 78–7	20,000	[15]
November 17	Washington State	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 27–13	50,000	[16]
November 24	Idaho	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	W 28–7	10,000	[17]
December 1	Notre Dame*	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)	W 27–14	72,632	[18]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

References

1. "1928 USC Trojans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
2. "Trojans Rated as Leading College Team in Country". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 9, 1928. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
3. 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. pp. 113, 120. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
4. ESPN College Football Encyclopedia. ESPN Books. 2005. p. 1160. ISBN 1401337031.
5. "California Places Three Pacific Stars". The Decatur Review. December 4, 1928. p. 16.
6. "Here Is All-Coast Conference Team". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. December 11, 1928. p. 12.
7. "Experts Pick All-Coast Eleven". Oakland Tribune. December 5, 1928. p. 26.
8. Braven Dyer (September 30, 1928). "Trojans Score 40-12 Victory Over Utah: Don Williams Star of Game". Los Angeles Times. p. 1a-1–1a-2 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Paul Lowry (October 7, 1928). "Trojans Spear Oregon State, 19-0: Invaders Can't Stop Williams". Los Angeles Times. pp. Sports 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Paul Lowry (October 14, 1928). "Thundering Herd Tramples St. Mary's, 19 to 6: Williams Hero of Grid Clash". Los Angeles Times. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
11. USC Football 2017 Media Guide (PDF). University of Southern California Athletics. p. 70.
12. Theon Wright (October 21, 1928). "Lom's Great Punting Checks Trojan Attack: Price's Defense Crushes Don Williams' Flank Plays". Oakland Tribune. pp. 1D, 3D – via Newspapers.com.
13. Braven Dyer (October 28, 1928). "Southern California Beats Occidental, 19 to 0: Tigers Put Up Great Battle". Los Angeles Times. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Paul Lowry (November 4, 1928). "Trojans Surprise Stanford, 10 to 0: Cards Repulsed Four Times on Goal Line". Los Angeles Times. pp. Sports 1, 7 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Braven Dyer (November 11, 1928). "Trojans Swamp Arizona: Duffield Runs All Over Field". Los Angeles Times. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Paul Lowry (November 18, 1928). "Trojans Conquer Washington State, 27 to 13: Saunders Hero of Wild Game". Los Angeles Times. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
17. Braven Dyer (November 25, 1928). "Trojans Beat Idaho, 28 to 7, to Win Coast Title: Russ Saunders Star of Game". Los Angeles Times. pp. Sports 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
18. Paul Lowry (December 2, 1928). "_____ in ___ 17-14 Win: Irish Crushed by Local Eleven". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 1a-1 – via Newspapers.com.