This Date in College Football Belt History – September 23

The 7^th ranked, 2-0 Southern Cal Trojans of coach John Robinson traveled to Birmingham to battle the top-ranked, 2-0 Alabama Crimson Tide of coach Paul “Bear” Bryant in the rematch of their epic 1977 contest when Alabama took The Belt with a 21-20 victory over the Trojans.  Alabama brought a 12-game winning streak along with The Belt to battle the previous champion.  Southern Cal’s All-American RB Charles White rushed for 199 yards including a 40-yard touchdown in the 1^st quarter & All-Pac 10 WR Kevin Williams caught 2 touchdown passes to lead the 10 ½-point underdog Trojans to a 24-14 upset that returned The Belt to Los Angeles.  Things did not start the way Southern Cal had planned though as the Trojans drove 73 yards to the Alabama 2-yard line but White’s fumble was recovered by Alabama’s All-SEC S Murray Legg keeping the game scoreless.  White made up for his miscue on the next series with his 40-yard touchdown run on Southern Cal’s famed “Student Body Right” sweep that gave the Trojans a 7-0 lead.  A field goal from Southern Cal’s PK Frank Jordan made the score 10-0 & the Trojans’ defense used a solid goal-line stand to keep the Crimson Tide out of the end zone in the 1^st half.  In the 3^rd quarter another White fumble, the second recovered by Legg, gave the Crimson Tide the ball at the Southern Cal 42-yard line.  A 42-yard touchdown run through the middle of the Southern Cal defense by Alabama’s RB Major Ogilvie followed as the Crimson Tide closed to within a field goal at 10-7 early in the 3^rd quarter.  Early in the 4^th quarter, Southern Cal took advantage of a short punt that gave the Trojans possession of the ball at the Alabama 39-yard line.  Southern Cal got the touchdown on a 6-yard pass from QB Paul McDonald to Williams pushing the Trojans’ lead to 17-7 with 11:15 left in the game.  Southern Cal effectively put the game out of reach when McDonald connected with Williams on a 40-yard touchdown pass that was tipped into Williams’ hands by Alabama’s CB Don McNeal.  A 41-yard touchdown pass from the Crimson Tide’s QB Jeff Rutledge to TE Bart Krout with 7:10 to play closed the scoring.  Alabama had chances to score again but RB Tony Nathan’s fumble was recovered by Southern Cal’s S Ronnie Lott at the Southern Cal 12-yard line with 3:26 to play.  The Crimson Tide’s final threat ended when Southern Cal’s S Dennis Smith intercepted Rutledge inside the Trojans’ 10-yard line.  McDonald finished with 113 yards passing with 2 touchdowns but an interception while the Trojans’ defense forced 6 turnovers.  Rutledge threw for 119 yards with a touchdown but 4 interceptions in the loss.  Alabama finished the season 11-1; SEC Champions & National Champions while the Trojans finished 12-1, Pac-10 Champions, ranked 2^nd nationally.  Alabama would play for The Belt again in 1983.

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