1931 USC Trojans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1931 USC Trojans football Pacific Coast Conference PCC 10–1 7–0 Howard Jones 7th Single-wing Stan Williamson Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum National championPCC championRose Bowl champion Rose Bowl (NCG) W 21–12 vs. Tulane The 1931 USC Trojans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1931 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Howard Jones, the Trojans lost the opening game to Saint Mary's and then won the remaining ten games of the season. They finished the season with a 10–1 record (7–0 against PCC opponents), shut out six of eleven opponents, outscored all opponents by a total of 363 to 52, and won the PCC and national championships.1931 USC Trojans Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football April 5, 2022 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-california/1931-schedule.html Schedule September 26 l y Saint Mary's Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 7–13 70,000 St. Mary's Warriors Upset Trojans, 13 to 7: Two Forward Passes Spell Ruin for Thundering Herd Los Angeles Times September 27, 1931 Paul Lowry VIa1, VIa6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23303224/st_marys_warriors_upset_trojans_13/ Newspapers.com October 3 w Oregon State Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 30–0 50,000 Trojans Score 30-0 Win Over Oregon State: Losers Unable To Show Much Los Angeles Times Paul Lowry October 4, 1931 VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99159056/trojans-score-30-0-win-over-oregon/ Newspapers.com October 10 w Washington State Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 38–6 30,000 Mohler Stars as Troy Wins: Leads S.C. to 38-6 Victory Over Coast Champions Los Angeles Times Braven Dyer October 11, 1931 VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99161250/mohler-stars-as-troy-wins-leads-sc/ Newspapers.com October 17 w Oregon Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 53–0 50,000 Troy Swamps Oregon: Webfeet Take Bad Thumping Los Angeles Times Braven Dyer October 18, 1931 VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99161609/troy-swamps-oregon-webfeet-take-bad/ Newspapers.com October 24 w y California California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA 6–0 53,957 Trojans Beat Bears, 6-0, in Fierce Battle: Ray Sparling Scores Touchdown for Troy Los Angeles Times Paul Lowry October 25, 1931 VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99165584/trojans-beat-bears-6-0-in-fierce/ Newspapers.com November 7 w Stanford Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA rivalry 19–0 93,000 Trojans ___ Stanford: Trojans Triumph in 19-0 Game; Crowd of 93,000 Spectators Sees Indians Toppled by Ancient Grid Rivals Los Angeles Times Paul Lowry November 8, 1931 1, VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99162028/trojans-stanford-trojans-triumph/ Newspapers.com November 14 w Montana Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 69–0 20,000 Griffith Stars as S.C. Wins: Montana Gets 69-0 Thumping Los Angeles Times Braven Dyer November 15, 1931 VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99162478/griffith-stars-as-sc-wins-montana/ Newspapers.com November 21 w y y Notre Dame Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 16–14 50,731 Stirring Trojan Rally Upsets Irish, 16 to 14 Los Angeles Times Braven Dyer November 22, 1931 1, VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99165322/stirring-trojan-rally-upsets-irish-16/ Newspapers.com December 5 w y Washington Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 44–7 55,000 Trojans Crush Huskies, 44 to 7 Los Angeles Times Paul Lowry December 6, 1931 Sports 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99162989/trojans-crush-huskies-44-to-7/ Newspapers.com December 12 w y Georgia Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 60–0 75,000 Thundering Herd Slaughters Georgia, 60-0: Sheer Power of Trojan Attack Stuns Bulldogs Los Angeles Times Braven Dyer December 13, 1931 VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99163592/thundering-herd-slaughters-georgia/ Newspapers.com January 1, 1932, 1932 w y y Tulane Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl 21–12 84,000 Valiant Tulane Eleven Bows To Troy, 21-12 Los Angeles Times January 2, 1932 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99164678/valiant-tulane-eleven-bows-to-troy/ Newspapers.com National championship The Dickinson System rankings were released on December 12, 1931, and ranked USC No. 1 and Tulane Green Wave No. 2.National Title to S.C. Team: Dickinson Rating Gives Trojans Championship for 1931 Season Los Angeles Times December 13, 1931 VI-a-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99163861/national-title-to-sc-team-dickinson/ Newspapers.comDickinson Gives Title to Trojans Monroe Morning World December 13, 1931 8 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98586142/dickinson-gives-title-to-trojans/ Newspapers.com The 1932 Rose Bowl matched No. 1 USC against No. 2 Tulane with USC prevailing by a 21–12 score. After their victory in the Rose Bowl, the Trojans were presented with the Albert Russel Erskine Trophy for the 1931 national football championship.Trojans Get Erskine 1931 Grid Award Los Angeles Times January 2, 1932 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99164983/trojans-get-erskine-1931-grid-award/ Newspapers.com In addition to Dickinson, USC was recognized as the 1931 national champion by the great majority of later rankings and analyses, including the Billingsley Report, Boand System, College Football Researchers Association, Dunkel System, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, National Championship Foundation, Poling System, Sagarin Ratings, and Berryman (QPRS).http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2018/FBS.pdf 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records National Collegiate Athletic Association August 2018 January 4, 2019 113, 120 Awards and honors Two USC players, fullback Gaius Shaver and guard Johnny Baker, were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1931 All-America college football team.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 October 21, 2017 7 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdfShaver, Baker Picked on the All-American Los Angeles Times December 6, 1931 Sports 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99163275/shaver-baker-picked-on-the-all-american/ Newspapers.com Shaver led the team with 938 rushing yards and 90 points scored.1931 USC Trojans Stats Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football April 5, 2022 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-california/1931.html Two other USC players received first-team All-America honors from at least one selector: halfback Erny Pinckert (AP, NEA, Liberty) and center Stan Williamson (Liberty).The 1931 All-America Team https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11173624/the_1931_allamerica_team/ May 22, 2017 The Daily Inter Lake Associated Press December 5, 1931 2 Newspapers.comMacPhail Larry NEA Board Names All-America https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11173496/nea_board_names_allamerica/ May 22, 2017 The Anniston Star Newspaper Enterprise Association December 14, 1931 8 Newspapers.comESPN College Football Encyclopedia 1163 ESPN Books 2005 1401337031 Eight USC players received first-team honors on the 1931 All-Pacific Coast football team: quarterback Gaius Shaver (AP-1, UP-1); quarterback Orville Mohler (NEA-1); halfback Erny Pinckert (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1); ends Ray Sparling (AP-1) and Garrett Arbelbide (NEA-1); tackle Ernie Smith (AP-1); guard Johnny Baker (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1); and center Stan Williamson (AP-1, NEA-1, UP-1).Trojans Place Five Men on All-Pacific Coast Eleven The Monroe (LA) News-Star December 3, 1931 7 https://www.newspapers.com/image/87193482/Presenting NEA's All-Coast Conference Football Team Santa Cruz News December 2, 1931 8 https://www.newspapers.com/image/50584876/Southern California Places Five on All-Coast Team Ames (Iowa) Daily Tribune-Times December 3, 1931 6 https://www.newspapers.com/image/5130886/ Roster Garrett Arbelbide, end Johnny Baker, guard (College Football Hall of Fame) Dick Barber, fullback Blanchard Beatty, quarterback Henry Biggs, end Willard Brouse, quarterback Tay Brown, tackle Gordon Clark, halfback Eugene Clarke, end Harvey Durkee, end John Dye, guard Robert Erskine, tackle Kenneth Fay, halfback Byron Gentry, guard Homer Griffith, quarterback Robert H. Hall, tackle Harold Hammack, halfback J. Howard Joslin, end Thomas Mallory, halfback Francis McGinley, guard Bob McNeish, halfback Orville Mohler, quarterback Jim Musick, fullback George Norene, center Neil Norris, end James Owens, quarterback Ford Palmer, end Erny Pinckert, halfback (College Football Hall of Fame) Alfred Plaehn, tackle Gene Ridings, fullback Aaron Rosenberg, guard Gaius Shaver, fullback/quarterback Thomas Bert Sherman, fullback Ernie Smith, tackle Ray Sparling, end Barry Stephens, halfback Lawrence Stevens, guard Herbert Tatsch, tackle Roderick Thompson, tackle Howie Tipton, halfback Frank Williamson, guard Stan Williamson, center Curt Youel, center All-Time Letterwinners https://usctrojans.com/documents/2017/6/26//football_9_letterwinners.pdf?id=6724 USC Athletics February 7, 2025 References USC Category:USC Trojans football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:Pac-12 Conference football champion seasons Category:Rose Bowl champion seasons USC Trojans football