From Ben Bolch: Two consecutive losses, including a tearjerker of a setback against USC, have left UCLA contemplating far less enticing possibilities than the College Football Playoff. The 1973 squad became the ninth Irish team to win the national title and the second under Parseghian. Find out more. McKay was a sophomore wide receiver for the undefeated 1972 Southern California Trojan football team. "Trojans roll past Bruins, 24-7." Visit us there! (Does not include 9 wins and 2 conference championships vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record 472-188-29, .702, 40 conference titles.). 4 Game summaries. BACKUP OFFENSIVE LINEMAN NO. Roster; More 1972 Southern California Pages. College Football Scores. 1972 Nov 19. Record: 12-0 (1st of 127) . Heisman Trophy Winners The official 2022 Football Roster for the University of Southern California Trojans I have no idea which two of these six teams gets in. Revisiting the 2009 college football season with advanced box scores. XFL North. The 1972 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 1972 college football season. Conferences. They play their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.. That was a big thrill for me to have that.. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots in 1975 and 1976 after playing college football for the USC Trojans. Before you go out and bet the farm on the Three Lions, though, heres a fact to consider: The Americans have never lost to England in a World Cup, winning in 1950 and playing to a draw 12 years ago in South Africa. Washington State coach Jim Sweeney. The Bruins went on to defeat #4 Iowa in the 1986 Rose Bowl. 1995 Tim Biakabutuka rushes for a career-high 313 yards as Michigan upsets Ohio State 31-23. On a very rainy and cold day, the Trojans were held to their lowest score of the season. I think OU's in because of strength of schedule and general dominance. Neither McKay nor Haden would definitively say if the 72 Trojans were the best collegiate team ever. 1972 Sept 24. Forty years later, USC named its new $70-million, 111,000-square-foot athletic facility after the legendary coach, who passed away in 2001. I said at the dedication that my dad would rather have this building named after him than the Empire State Building and he really would, said J.K McKay. "Davis' spree leads USC to 45-23 rout." Haden and McKay met at the beginning of high school, and their friendship hasnt skipped a beat ever since. This is a discussion on Historic teams rosters and depth charts within the NCAA Football Rosters forums. > Football Penn State (10-1 with 1-point loss at Tennessee)6. Eugene Register-Guard. NFL readers Q&A: How did Rams blow it on line? Lets get right to the news. On New Year's Day, UCLA upset previously undefeated and top-ranked Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and climbed to fifth in the final rankings. From Gary Klein: It qualifies as more than a dry spell, goes well beyond a drought. Tailback Rod McNeill, who sat out the previous year with a hip injury, led the Trojans with 117 yards on 28 carries while Mike Rae, a backup for two seasons, completed 18 of 24 passes for 269 yards and in the second half completed nine straight passes at one point in his first start. Along the way, USC left little room for doubt about who reigned supreme in 72. > NCAA Football Rosters Erik Ersberg couldnt beat him out for the No. Nobody scored on them, said McKay. Record: 12-0 (1st of 127) (Schedule & Results) Rank: 1st in the Final AP poll. "Top-rated Trojans blitz Sparts, 516." I think it's a harder job, or at least a more unique one, than we tend to think. Feb 24, 2023 5:55 PM EST. American Football Database is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. January 1, 1973. p. Holy crap, is that difficult to sort through. USC football: 2 Trojans named best returning players at their position. "It's 'bring on Miami' after USC wins easily." "TV bowl rosters: Rose Bowl". 1972 Dec 3. 10 Texas, No. 4 Arkansas in Little Rock to start the season, leaped straight to No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the 1973 Sugar Bowl by a score of a 2423. The 1970 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. I've went as far as buying old media guides on ebay for a few bucks. what can I say I'm addicted to this. Offensive tackle Ron Yary won the 1967 Outland Trophy, offensive guard Brad Budde won the 1979 Lombardi Award, safety Mark Carrier won the 1989 Thorpe Award, linebacker Chris Claiborne won the 1998 Butkus Award, tight end Fred Davis won the 2007 Mackey Award, linebacker Rey Maualuga won the 2008 Bednarik Award, wide receiver Marqise Lee won the 2012 Biletnikoff Award and cornerback Adoree Jackson won the 2017 Thorpe Award. Anthony Davis scored a lot of touchdowns, and I had a couple of key blocks in front of the Coliseum crowd, Graf said of the game. 1972 USC Trojans (12-0 National Champions) QB 10- Pat Haden 6'0'' 174 La Puente, CA 6- Mike Rae 6'1'' 186 SR . Eugene Register-Guard. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. 14 Missouri, and No. In their fourth year under head coach John Robinson, the Trojans compiled an 1101 record, won the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 389 to 171. The Ohio State Buckeyes were named national champion by the National Championship Foundation, Poling System, David Rothman (statistician) and the Sagarin Ratings, but this championship is not claimed by Ohio State. As a matter of policy, Sports Reference only reports the results of games as played on the field. Descubr lo que tu empresa podra llegar a alcanzar. Ten Trojans were selected in the 1973 NFL Draft, with three in the first round. Dec 2, 1972; Los Angeles, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Southern California Trojans running back Sam Cunningham (39) leaps over the pile against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The USC Trojans, champions of the Pacific-8 Conference, defeated the Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, 146. Five Trojan tailbacks have won the coveted Heisman Trophy as college football's outstanding player: Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. The 72 team is widely regarded as one of the best in college football history, thanks to the teams excellence on both sides of the ball. Keenan and Mike make what they make for a reason, right? center Corey Linsley said. He became sort of our lucky charm kind of a thing, said McKay. But Quick wasnt ready for nostalgia or backup duty. It actually has been 40 years already. Dave Brown was a starter on the 1972 USC offensive line. Simpson or Ricky Bell or Charles White. It takes a certain type of coach to hold the the reins at USC (and no, the requirement for being that kind of coach isn't "be a USC guy," Pat Haden). 2 Roster. 1973 Jan 2. Conferences. When it comes to figuring out the offensive line and the defense, you usually have to identify each jersey number and go from there. Tailback Rod McNeill, who sat out the previous year with a hip injury, led the Trojans with 117 yards on 28 carries while Mike Rae, a backup for two seasons, completed 18 of 24 passes for 269 yards and in the second half completed nine straight passes at one point in . Kind of unusual, but he did.. Texas (9-1 with a 27-point loss vs. OU), 8. 9 at the time, tripped the Sooners up, 20-14, in Boulder in mid-October. England is ranked fifth in the world. Next Thread 3: DAVE BROWN. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Twitter Football: Instagram Football: Tickets Football: Schedule Football: Roster Football: News Golf (M) Golf (M): . Oklahoma (10-1 with 6-point loss at Colorado)3. Running back Anthony Davis led the rushing attack on the ground with 1,191 yards and 17 touchdowns. USC defeated those six by an average of 20.2 points per game. Boogie Ellis scored 21 points in his second big output in as many days to lead the Trojans (4-2). Most Recent Games and Any Score Since 1869. The 1989 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. Anthony Davis, also known as A.D., is a former American football running back. Both Alabama and Michigan State were Consensus National Champions for the season. Pages using CFB schedule with named parameters, 1972 Pacific-8 Conference football season, Pac-12 Conference football champion seasons, Garrison 58-yard pass from Rae (Rae kick), McKay 31-yard pass from Rae (kick failed), Sims 35-yard blocked punt return (Rae kick), Swann 30-yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick), J. Ferguson recovered fumble in end zone (Garcia kick), Cross 30-yard pass from Boryla (Stone pass from Boryla), Schmidt 3-yard pass from Cruze (Wersching kick), Fitzpatrick 10-yard run (Wiezbowski kick), Powell 21-yard interception return (Rae kick), Davis 97-yard kickoff return (kick failed), W. Townsend 5-yard pass from Clements (Thomas kick), Diminick 11-yard pass from Clements (Thomas kick), Creaney 10-yard pass from Clements (pass failed). Of course, though USC was quite obviously worthy of the title, I don't want to ignore how good Oklahoma was. 1972 Dec 3. Many of those players have led USC to 11 national championships in football. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Whenever I get mad I just remind myself that EA found the information somewhere to make these teams, so its out there. Palm Beach Post. The Trojans were a bowl participant every year they were eligible from 1972 to 1990. The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference defeated the #2 USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Conference, 2716. Michigan (10-1 with a 3-point loss at Ohio State)10. Now USC's athletic director, Haden enjoys the games from the sidelines. (Scott Enyeart/Neon Tommy), J.K. McKay (left) with school president C.L. 1939. percentage 4.81 %. The 1969 Rose Bowl was the 55th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Wednesday, January 1. Ironically, coach McKays very first championship team was the 62 Trojans. 18 in the CFP rankings, the Bruins (8-3 overall, 5-3 Pac-12) will enter their final regular-season game against California (4-7, 2-6) on Friday afternoon at Memorial Stadium trying to avoid falling into contention for the Jimmy Kimmel Bowl. Become a subscriber. This was a tremendous year for bluebloods. We havent achieved anything as a group on the world stage, coach Gregg Berhalter conceded. That was who he was.. Coached by College Football Hall of Famer John McKay, USC finished 10-1-1 after an 18-17 victory against the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. Safety Nick Scott intercepted a tipped pass in a victory over the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 16. Conference Record: 7-0. . The Notre Dame game made him an instant USC legend. Its so hard to compare different eras, said McKay. He pulled off his best season in a while, compiling a 2.59 goals-against average and .910 save percentage to lead the Kings back to the playoffs. However, the plan to play the game at Dynamo Stadium fell through, and the game was rescheduled at Memorial Coliseum. It actually has been 40 years already. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. When the idea was first proposed to perform at . Simpson (1968), Charles White (1979), Marcus Allen (1981) and Reggie Bush (2005, later vacated). Eugene Register-Guard. Yet forward Robert Covington and point guard John Wall on Wednesday night said they understand the Clippers bigger picture for their usage, even as it has limited their minutes on the court. We go back in the locker room, Graf said, and he (coach McKay) goes, Whats going on? And I said, Well, lets go back to our old blocking ways and lets get after it. The Trojans went on to outscore the Buckeyes by 25 in the second half. The 1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. The 1982 UCLA Bruins football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season. McKays father, John, was the head coach, and his best friend, Pat Haden, was the second-string quarterback. 1972 Oct 1. The season was intended to start historic fashion, with USC set to play Illinois in Moscow in what was dubbed the Glasnost Bowl. Here's your end-of-regular-season AP poll: 1. Ohio State (9-1 with 7-point loss at Michigan State), 4. Carson Palmer in 2002 and Matt Leinart in 2004 became the first USC quarterbacks to win the Heisman. "It's 'bring on Miami' after USC wins easily." "Trojans overpower Washington by 34-7." He loved USC, and it felt when they unveiled the statue like we were bringing my dad home., He never coached me before, said McKay, and one of the reasons I thought about not coming to SC was that it would be weird.. Join our linker program. McKay became the first coach to claim the MacArthur Bowl outright four . 2 program in college football history. At the 2022 Salute to Troy on Saturday, June 18th, the 1972 USC Football Team celebrated their 50th Anniversary. Officials unprepared for epic mountain blizzard, leaving many trapped and desperate. S&P+, only the 1931, 1932, 1978, and 2005 teams can compare. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? S&P+, only the 1931, 1932, 1978, and 2005 teams can compare. All rights reserved. 1, and never for a moment thought about relinquishing its ranking. Running back Eric Ball was selected as the most valuable player in the 1986 Rose Bowl. Miller Moss, 3. 1973 Nov 25. NFL Week 12 picks: Eagles beat Packers; Cowboys take down Giants; Chargers win, Those closest to John Madden remember favorite moments on Thanksgiving Day. 2023 University of Southern California Athletics, United Airlines Field at L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Allyson Felix Field at Loker Track Stadium & Colich Center. Eugene Register-Guard. We act like USC should always be good -- and honestly, the Trojans probably should -- but we fail to notice that, since Howard Jones passed away in the summer of 1941, only four of 13 hires have resulted in at least one top-five finish. And hes often happy to oblige. Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. The Trojans have won 37 conference championships, along with 3 division titles. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things youd like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. Darren Sharper scores on a 20-yard return, Dwight Smith rumbles 93 yards and Chad Greenway follows from 37 yards just a few plays later. With a dominating win in the 2022 ACC Championship Game, Clemson became only the second program in the FBS to win 100 games since 2015. . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Practical Move gives trainer Tim Yakteen a win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sam Farmers crystal ball: NFL mock draft 2023 version 1.0, UCLAs freshmen living up to the hype, carry Bruins into Pac-12 title game, For LAFC founding owner Peter Guber, MLS Cup journey carries special significance, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78. Eugene Register-Guard. Purdue and Washington face off in the Rose Bowl on Monday. 4 Arkansas, No. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Tailback Rod McNeill, who sat out the previous year with a hip injury, led the Trojans with 117 yards on 28 carries while Mike Rae, a backup for two seasons, completed 18 of 24 passes for 269 yards and in the second half completed nine straight passes at one point in his first start.[3]. Five Trojan tailbacks have won the coveted Heisman Trophy as college footballs outstanding player: Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Michigan State was selected national champion by UPI/coaches, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, Dunkel, FB News, Helms, Litkenhous, NFF, Poling, Sagarin, and Sagarin (ELO-Chess) and also co-national champion by FW. 1972 Oct 22. The offense was a juggernaut, featuring future NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Lynn Swann and other future pros such as Sam Cunningham, Charle Young, Mike Rae, Haden and McKay, among others. Or, per Est. USC owned the 1972 college football season (but didn't have to play Oklahomaeither), 2. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. Having dropped to No. 1972 Nov 19. [3]. Alabama (10-1 with 1-point loss vs. Auburn)5. The team posted a 1001 overall record and a 70 conference record to earn the Conference outright title under first-year head coach Barry Switzer. Julian Phillips scored a season-high 25 points to help No. After being ranked eighth in the preseason, the Trojans were narrowly voted #1 in the first AP poll, and stayed out front for the rest of the year. Eugene Register-Guard. Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12, Conference USA. John McKay was one of those right guys, and his 1972 team was maybe the best USC team of all-time. The 1975 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. 4.2 Oregon State. Do you have a sports website? Said the "world wide leader": Said the . And that's assuming LSU doesn't have a chance. The only unanimous All-American was tight end Charles Young. October 28, 1972. p. 1B. Clippers transitions that begin off of a rebound when Wall is on the floor score 28 points more per 100 possessions than when he sits, per Cleaning The Glass, a rate that more than doubles the impact of his next-closest teammate. Gambling problem? Wall said his usage is part of a plan they got for us and like I said, whatever those guys come up with, Im with Im full bore with it.. Theyre difference-makers. They have forced one turnover in their last eight games. He wonders if the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who finished 17-0 that NFL season, could keep up. By Connor Morrissette Feb 24, 2023 5:55 PM EST. Do you have a blog? Led by second-year head coach Dick Vermeil, the Bruins won their first Pacific-8 championship in a decade and were 821 in the regular season. . Retrieved 2018-Dec-10. The 1973 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. Palm Beach Post. Visit ESPN to view the USC Trojans team roster for the current season. That concludes todays newsletter. The 1972 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. Well, it has done nothing comparable. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The 1975 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. The first-year forward made seven of 13 shots and 10 of 12 free throws to go with eight rebounds for the Volunteers (4-1), with four of those free throws coming in overtime. Head coach John McKay led the 1972 team, and USC finished the season undefeated. Join our linker program. We present them here for purely educational purposes. The Trojans have had other prominent award winners. John Robinson's 1979 team collectively played in 64 Pro Bowls. Coaching overachievers and underachievers, Revisiting the 2010 college football season with advanced box scores. But outside of that ruling class, things were pretty nuts. From Helene Elliott: More than a dozen goaltenders have challenged Jonathan Quicks hold on the Kings net. McKay now serves as USCs associate athletic director, directly under Haden, with whom he has remained best friends. Can't go wrong either way. S&P+ rating worse than Dartmouth's? Schedule. Jake Jensen, Red shirt: Malachi Nelson. Eugene Register-Guard. As I've written a few times, the bluebloods dominated, and 1972 was certainly indicative of that. That defense held half of their 12 opponents to seven points or fewer. Eugene Register-Guard. This would be the first of eight consecutive Big Eight Conference championships for the Sooners with Switzer as head coach. Seattle Sea Dragons Head coach: Jim . In USCs annals, it has to go down as one of our best teams, said Haden. The 1973 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. He made seven of 14 shots from the field, including three of six from three-point range. 1972 Oct 8. This is another fairly easy spot to project out.Austin Jones (R-Sr.) "Trojans Rip Illinois." 2007 San Diegos LaDainian Tomlinson becomes the 23rd player in NFL history rush for 10,000 yards, reaching the milestone on a 36-yard run in the Chargers 32-14 win over Baltimore. The six touchdowns Davis scored on Notre Dame that day in December 1972 would go down as one of the greatest single-game performances in college football history, the piece de resistance of a . Texas (9-1 with a 27-point loss vs. OU)8. This is me, this is my face: Actress Mimi Rogers on aging naturally, without cosmetic surgery. Lincoln Riley, who had guided Oklahoma to 3 College Football Playoff appearances, was named head coach for the 2022 season. Alabama, with a loss to another one-loss team (Auburn)? "Trojans overpower Washington by 34-7." College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. 1973 Pacific-8 Conference football standings, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1973_USC_Trojans_football_team&oldid=1081219519, McKay 35 yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick), D. Reece 30 yard interception return (Limahelu kick), Swann 55 yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick), McKay 16 yard pass from Haden (Limahelu kick), USC wins conference title and Rose Bowl berth, This page was last edited on 6 April 2022, at 01:52. > EA Sports College Football Odds & lines subject to change. 2. Eugene Register-Guard. # Name Class QB: 9: Rob Adolph: OL: 66: Bill Bain: WR, P: 7: Dave Boulware: OL: 63: Booker Brown: Sr: RB . Although the roster was clearly very talented, there was much uncertainty before it all began about how the team would gel. By comparison, the stacked 2001 Miami Hurricanes roster combined to appear in 46 Pro Bowls. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Previous Year Next Year. The Trojans outscored opponents 467-134. "Trojans Rip Illinois." Pac-8 Champion USC defeated Big Ten Co-Champion Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, marking the Trojans' fourth MacArthur Bowl. Roster includes most starters and key reserves. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists. The 2007 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, winning a share of the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) championship and winning the 2008Rose Bowl. Sophomore quarterback Rex Kern of Ohio State was the Player of the Game. The 1979 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. Tailback Rod McNeill, who sat out the previous year with a hip injury, led the Trojans with 117 yards on 28 carries while Mike Rae, a backup for two seasons, completed 18 of 24 passes for 269 yards and in the second half completed nine straight passes at one point in his first start. The front page of the Los Angeles Times sports section from Dec. 3, 1972, highlighting USC running back Anthony Davis six touchdowns against Notre Dame. And if the AP had Alabama fourth, and with a more excuseable loss than Auburn (its head-to-head victor), then Bear Bryant's team probably gets the nod. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The early-1970s Dartmouth teams of Bob Blackman and John Crouthamel (32-3-1 from 1969-72) and Yale teams of Carmen Cozza (either 7-2, 8-0-1, or 8-1 nine times in 11 years) were legitimately strong teams. XXX Clemson has a 142-23 record since starting its current stretch of 10-win seasons in 2011. 1985 Clemsons Grayson Marshall sets an NCAA record with 20 assists in an 83-57 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore. 18 Washington, No. . The 1972 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 1972 college football season. Oklahoma (10-1 with 6-point loss at Colorado), 3. Previous Year Next Year. Toronto earns its 16th Grey Cup title and first since 2004. Super difficult, obviously, Thompson-Robinson said of moving on from the 48-45 loss to USC in which he absorbed several vicious hits and had four turnovers. Its nothing more than that, Quick said of outlasting so many challengers. That season and that Notre Dame win especially have followed Davis ever since, through his winding pro career and its subsequent ups and downs, through airports and restaurants and real estate transactions. Although Notre Dame finished No. Their offices are across the hall from each other in Heritage Hall. The 1972 national champions . "USC gets revenge as Cards halted." 1972 USC TROJANS Solo Canoe Kit, Dangerous Dave In . They had not been eligible in 71; freshmen were not yet allowed to play. College football: The six best games to watch and stream Saturday, Enjoying this newsletter? 1 in the AP Poll to claim the AP national title, they were not awarded the Coaches title, since Alabama was awarded the Coaches Poll title before the bowl season. 22 Tennessee hold off USC 73-66 in overtime in Thursdays semifinals at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Pete Adams (the starting left tackle) found this stray dog, and the whole year it would come to practice and come to meetings, said Haden. The Trojans won all 12 of their games and were consensus national champions. "It feels like a hundred years ago, and it feels like two weeks ago," said J.K. McKay. Previous Thread Hello, No. Nor could Jason LaBarbera, Jonathan Bernier, Ben Scrivens, Peter Budaj, Ben Bishop, Jeff Zatkoff, Martin Jones, Jhonas Enroth, Jack Campbell, Darcy Kuemper or, most recently, Cal Petersen. So as with 2005, an amazing Trojan team wouldn't have been guaranteed the title. Alabama (10-1 with 1-point loss vs. Auburn), 5. And theyre not conceding anything going into this game. Pound for pound, we were the best team ever, he says. "It's 'bring on Miami' after USC wins easily." Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. . Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. Davis began the season as a third-string tailback and didnt start until the eighth game, yet he was able to amass 1,191 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. It was sort of the meshing of the freshman coming up becoming sophomores, and the juniors and seniors that had been there that just hadnt had a lot of success. The Trojans never once trailed in the fourth quarter, opting instead to demolish opponents by an average of nearly four touchdowns per game.