Where I Come From: Memorable USC Moments

by Joey Kaufman on Jul 10, 2010 2:06 PM PDT in EA Sports NCAA FB 11

This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

It's been a fun week here for ParagonSC and me, as we've had the opportunity to recap some of our favorite things about USC football - tailgating traditions, players, and legendary teams. In the fifth installment of the series, I'll post some of my favorite USC moments that I've witnessed over the years. While there are certainly enough special games and performances to create a series of its own, I'll try and limit this to just ten personal favorites of mine. The down side of that, because of my age, I've only really been following USC football since the late-90s so I felt it wouldn't have been authentic if I included clips from Anthony Davis or the 1988 season. I never witnessed those events first hand, so my top ten is going to seem rather recent. As a result, feel free to discuss your favorite moments in the comments section below.

Without further delay, here's my top ten in no particular order.

1. Bush seals the Heisman (2005: USC 50 Fresno State 42)

2. Leave No Doubt (2005: USC 55 Oklahoma 19)

3. Barkley Shines in the Shoe (2009: USC 18 Ohio State 15)

4. Williams to Leinart (2004: USC 28 Michigan 14)

5. Toppling the SEC (2003: USC 23 Auburn 0)

6. Carroll vs. Neuheisel (2009: USC 28 UCLA 7)

7. Palmer's Final Game (2004: USC 38 Iowa 17)

8. Bush's Coming Out Party (2004: USC 24 Virginia Tech 13)

9. My first Rose Bowl (1996: USC 41 Northwestern 32)

(note: I couldn't find a video with USC highlights, but this was the first Rose Bowl/USC game I remember watching so I had to include it)

10. The Bush Push (2005: USC 34 Notre Dame 31)

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Reggie WHO

So Fight On USC followers and Don’t worry WE Will Still Play on Saturdays and Bowls will come later, for WE ARE SC not That other Softball University. Oh and don’t say you now have a baseball team, it’s not Real Baseball unless you use Wooden Bats.

by so.cal.native1952 on Jul 9, 2010 2:05 PM PDT reply actions

Joey, being a classic a---hole, let me ask you

Why did you post Northwestern highlights from the Rose Bowl? By the way, that was my first RB too

by anh_sc79 on Jul 9, 2010 6:36 PM PDT reply actions

Ah, this is a no doubter.

I was at the Rose Bowl and the Orange Bowl, but nothing can possibly beat November 30, 1996.

Every year there were three things certain in life: death, taxes and getting razzed after SC lost to Notre Dame.

1991: a ripoff of a loss. Even in a horrible season, SC got jobbed by a ridiculous call that gave ND the game winning touchdown.

1992, 1993 and 1994: a series of pastings…

1995: Like 1989, utter disappointment in a season that started with so much promise.

On November 30, 1996, we got out of bed at my grandparents’ house. It was gameday and time to make the drive down to the Coliseum to tailgate. By this point, as a little kid I dreaded the Notre Dame game. It was always the game where I knew something would go wrong- the game where I’d get to the Coliseum and see thousands and thousands of utterly wasted subway fans drunk off their asses. The game where, at the Coliseum, I’d get yelled at and made fun of for wearing an SC shirt.

I didn’t like Notre Dame very much.

A few plays into the game Brad Otton got smashed. Not a good sign. Autry Denson seemed to be running wild, and Ron Powlus seemed decent (I can’t say I’ve ever hated a college football player, but if one ever came close, it was Ron “8 Heismans” Powlus").

But the defense kept coming alive. Sammy Knight made ridiculous plays. Otton made a heroic comeback. And then, when we thought all was lost, the missed extra point.

On a march down the field, somehow, SC scored. And scored the two. Somehow we could feel it- this game was different.

In overtime the Coliseum woke up. My dad and I stood up. I had enough of the old guys who would tell me to get “down in front” every game. Somehow, on that weird twisting fullback out route, Rodney Sermons scored and SC had the lead.

On first down… uh-oh. This doesn’t look good. On second down… suddenly the momentum shifted as Denson got stuffed and piledriven by at least seven or eight guys. On third down, an incompletion and an incredible play by Brian Kelly. Something told me, “grab your jacket, the game is about to end.”

On fourth down the Coliseum was as loud as I had ever heard it as a kid. The band was going nuts, the fans were going nuts, and as soon as that pass got batted down, the place absolutely exploded. Never has the Coliseum been that loud… never since (at least so far as I know).

My dad spent the next five minutes straight jumping up and down and yelling like a little kid. We were so fired up we teared up. My grandpa was starting to get old by that point… but I looked over and there he was, still sitting in his seat with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on him.

People actually rushed the field… which hasn’t happened since at the Coliseum. We probably stayed in there cheering and yelling for the next fifteen minutes before people started to leave. We finally headed out the tunnel.

Probably the best memory I have as a kid, and no doubt my favorite SC game I’ve ever been to.

Rodney Sermons is my #5

by Brad Otton Is My Homeboy on Jul 9, 2010 6:42 PM PDT reply actions