1972 NCAA Tournament
The 1972 Tournament was based on the final UPI rankings. Defending Champion Alabama needed overtime to get past Arizona State in the first round. Tennessee upset Michigan in the first round in a triple overtime 6-0 game. Last year's runner up Nebraska was bounced by Penn State in the first round. The Semi Final matchups were Auburn at USC and Alabama at Oklahoma.
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National Semi Final #1 (Auburn Tigers at USC Trojans)
December 30, 1972 @ LA Memorial Stadium, Temp 53, Clear Skies, Wind 5 MPH - slight crosswind
The Auburn Tigers find themselves in the semi finals for the third straight year, but the USC Trojans jumped out to a 17-0 first half lead and were never really threatened as they eliminate Auburn 31-16 and head to the Championship game for the first time.
USC got the scoring started after Monte Davis recovered a George Follett fumble. Mike Rae threw a 38yd TD pass to Edesel Garrison putting them up 7-0. In the 2nd quarter, Manfred Moore scored on a 1yd TD run to put the Trojans up 14-0. The Trojans then use a bit of trickery to set up their next score. Facing a 4th and one from the Auburn 48yd line, USC lined up to punt, but Dave Boulware threw to Allen Carter for an 8yd gain keeping the drive alive. The drive finally ended with a 28yd field goal by Rae making it 17-0. The second half had an interesting start to it. Auburn's Gardner Jett kicked off to USC's Charles Hinton. Hinton bobbled the kick and the ball rolled into the end zone. By the time Hinton could get his hands on it, the Auburn kick coverage was all over him and dragged him down for a safety, making the score 17-2. Later in the 3rd quarter Rae missed a 45yd field goal. But two plays later, Hinton redeemed himself for the botched kick by picking off a pass from Randy Walls, setting up the Trojans at the Auburn 11yd line. On the first play after the turnover, Rae threw a TD pass to Lynn Swann, upping the Trojans lead to 24-2. Turnovers would cost the Tigers again as late in the quarter Walls was sacked by John Grant and fumbled. Jeff Winans fell on the loose ball at the Auburn 13yd line. On the next play Sam Cunningham ran 13yds to paydirt and a 31-2 lead for the Trojans. Auburn finally got into the end zone on a 15yd run by Walls. It was 31-9 after three quarters. Walls also accounted for the last score of the game with a 4yd TD run late in the 4th quarter. It was way too little too late. USC moves on to the Championship game. MVP: Mike Rae QB/K, USC - 95yds, 2 TD, 172 Rating, Rushing 36yds, Kicking 1 FG |
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National Semi Final #2 (Alabama Crimson Tide at Oklahoma Sooners)
December 30, 1972 @ Okla Memorial Stadium, Temp 43, Clear, No wind
The defending champion Crimson Tide rolled into Oklahoma looking for a victory that would give them a chance to defend their crown. But it was the Sooners, propelled by a stingy defense that got the win 20-7 and sent them to the Championship game.
Alabama received the opening kick and on the third play of the game, Steve Dean fumbled and Nick Kearney recovered for the Sooners at the 'Bama 38yd line. Oklahoma turned that into three points on a 29yd Rick Fulcher field goal. 3-0 Sooners less than four minutes into the game. It stayed that way until early in the 2nd quarter. Alabama took the lead on a 14yd TD pass from Terry Davis to Peter Pappas. 7-3 Alabama in front. Little did the Tide know, but that would be their only points of the game. Oklahoma took the lead right back as they took the ensuing kick and drove right down the field. Dave Robertson scrambled for a 3yd touchdown making it a 10-7 game. Alabama threatened on their next possession but Bill Davis missed a 43yd field goal try. 'Bama also dodged a bullet late in the first half. Wilbur Jackson fumbled on their own 22yd line. Ken Pope recovered for the Sooners with 58 seconds left in the half. But on 2nd down, Robertson was sacked by Woodrow Lowe and Greg Montgomery recovered for the Tide to end the threat. Oklahoma received the 2nd half kick and drove for a 36yd field goal by Fulcher and a 13-7 lead. Alabama went three and out and the Sooners followed that up with another score. Robertson threw a 5yd TD pass to John Carroll padding their lead to 20-7. That would be the last of the scoring as the Sooners win and move on to their first Championship game appearance. MVP: Leon Crosswhite RB, OKL - 107yds |
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National Championship (Oklahoma Sooners v USC Trojans)
January 6, 1973 @ The Cotton Bowl, Temp 31, Clear Skies, Wind 18 mph - head/tailwind
Things got started with a bang at the Cotton Bowl as USC's Anthony Davis took the opening kick 91yds for a touchdown. Mike Rae missed the extra point, so it's 6-0 Trojans just 16 seconds into the game. Things looked to get worse for Oklahoma as on the following kick, Joe Washington fumbled and Richard Wood recovered for USC at the Sooners 27yd line. Two plays later Rae threw for John McKay but Randy Hughes picked off the pass, keeping the Sooners from digging a big hole.
USC would later get a 22yd field goal from Rae upping their lead to 9-0. The Sooners would get on the board before the end of the first quarter. Dave Robertson hooked up with Tinker Owens on a 32yd scoring strike making it 9-7 Trojans after one quarter of play. USC answered that score with one of their own. Rae threw a 25yd scoring pass to Lynn Swann upping their lead to 16-7. Oklahoma responded by driving to the Trojan's 26yd line. But on a 2nd down play, Robertson was stripped of the ball while scrambling. Ray Rodriguez fell on the ball for USC snuffing out the Sooner drive. The Trojans cashed in on that turnover as they found the end zone on a 27yd run by Davis. The score extends their lead to 23-7. Just as it started to look like the game was getting away from them, the Sooners responded with a scoring drive of their own. A big 26yd pass play from Robertson to Greg Pruitt helped set up an eventual TD run by Robertson. USC takes a 23-14 lead into the half. Into the 3rd quarter, USC found themselves backed up deep in their own end. Forced to punt from their own 9yd line, Dave Boulware shanked a 24 yard kick, Joe Washington fielded it and returned it to the Trojan 18yd line. Two plays later Robertson tossed a 14yd TD pass to Owens for the 2nd time and it was now a 23-21 game. USC then put together a drive that chewed up the rest of the 3rd quarter. They stalled out at the Sooner 17yd line and Rae came on to kick a 34yd field goal on the first play of the 4th quarter. His kick was wide left and the Sooner sideline was fired up. The Sooners were able to pick up one first down before having to punt and USC again went on the move. This time they made it to the Sooners 15yd line. Again Rae came on and this time his kick was good. USC now had a 26-21 lead with 8:02 to play in the game. The Oklahoma offense could not move the ball on the following possession and a poor punt by their special teams set up with great field position, starting at the Sooner 29yd line. The Trojans turned that field position into three points on another Rae field goal. Now USC had 29-21 lead and only 2:35 left in the game. CWith the game on the line, Oklahoma began their drive at their own 20yd line. Robertson and Pruitt connected on a 20yd pass on first down. They crossed over midfield and then got a pass interference penalty on USC that spotted the ball at the Trojan 28yd line and 1:15 still remaining. Runs by Pruitt and Crosswhite moved the ball to the USC 15yd line. Robertson threw the ball away to stop the clock leaving 46 seconds to play. Pruitt gained six and Crosswhite five more spotting the ball at the four. Again Robertson threw the ball away to stop the clock and now just four seconds remained. It all came down to this last play. The Sooners called an outside run with Pruitt. He took the handoff and headed for the corner, but USC's defense strung the play out and Pruitt was dragged down for no gain. Time expired and the USC Trojans are the 1972 Tournament Champions, 29-21 MVP: Anthony Davis RB\KR\PR, USC - 131yds, TD, Receiving - 2 catches, 7yds Returns - 101yds, TD |
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