The Trojan Horse

All season long, while Notre Dame's Fighting Irish piled up victory after vic tory, Coach Ara Parseghian played the persistent pessimist. "It is impossible to go through a season undefeated," he in sisted. "Teams are too evenly matched these days." Now the only thing that stood be tween Notre Dame and its first perfect season in 15 years was a so-so Southern California squad that had lost three out of nine games. True, U.S.C. had some thing worth fighting for-- a possible Rose Bowl bid-- but the Irish had some thing worth more: the national cham pionship. "This is our Rose Bowl," said Coach Parseghian, and few of the 83,-840 fans in Los Angeles Memorial Col iseum could have believed in their hearts that they were about to witness the upset of the year.

Bookmakers made Notre Dame an eleven-point favorite, and the spread looked puny at half time. A 25-yd. field goal started off the Notre Dame scor ing--and then Quarterback John Huarte, winner of the Heisman Trophy as the nation's top college player, took charge of the relentless Irish attack. A 21 -yd. pass to All-America End Jack Snow made it 10-0, and a pitchout to Halfback Bill Wolski hiked the score to 17-0. In the Southern Cal dressing room, Coach John McKay tried to buoy up his downhearted Trojans: "If we can score the first time we get the ball in the second half, it's a brand-new ball game." Upside Down. Southern Cal scored all right, striking 68 yds. in nine plays to cut the gap to 17-7. But it still seemed like the same old ball game. Time after time, Irish receivers broke into the clear to haul in Huarte's whistling passes.

Notre Dame marched to the Southern Cal 9-- only to lose the ball on a fumble Back came the Irish again, and this time Fullback Joe Kantor got the touchdown -- only to have it nullified by a holding penalty. By now it was the fourth quarter, and bored sportswriters amused themselves by making bets on what the Notre Dame margin would be.

Then everything turned upside down Trojan Quarterback Craig Fertig passed Fred Hill and Rod Sherman made clawing catches, Halfback Mike Garrett slipped away from Notre Dame tacklers as if he were coated with grease From his own 8, Fertig marched the Trojans to the Notre Dame 23. Then he rolled out, lofted a pass to Hill in the end zone, and the Irish lead was 17-13.

"Rose Bowl!" With only 41 min. left, Parseghian decided to eat up the clock' But now the aroused Trojans held for downs, got the ball back on the Notre Dame 40, and went to desperate work A run failed, two passes fell incomplete. Finally, on fourth down, chased by Irish blitzers, Fertig threw to Sherman, who skipped into the end zone for the TD that made it Southern Cal 20 Notre Dame 17. The clock read 1 min. 35 sec.

"Rose Bowl! Rose Bowl!" screamed Southern Cal rooters. But Notre Dame has never been a quitter. Parseghian draped his arm around Quarterback Huarte's shoulders, whispered briefly in his ear. No deception now; everybody

knew what Huarte was going to do

throw, throw, throw. A 15-yarder to Halfback Nick Eddy put the ball on the Notre Dame 38--and U.S.C. defenders began to get jittery. Two penalties moved Notre Dame to the Trojan 43. But Huarte's next pass was intercepted on the Cal 20. Trojan rooters heaved a sigh of relief. Now there was less than one minute left. It was all over.

Not quite. The stubborn Irish stopped the Trojans cold, forced them to punt with 35 sec. remaining. Huarte began to throw again. Two passes to Snow and the Irish were back at midfield.

Six seconds--time for one last play.

Huarte dropped back, danced around looked downfield for Snow, and uncorked a long, looping pass toward the Trojan end zone. Snow leaped, and so did four Southern Cal defenders. Plop, the ball fell to the ground. Bang! the gun sounded.

In the Southern Cal locker room, the victorious Trojans heaved Coach McKay into the shower and waited anxiously for word that they had been invited to the Rose Bowl. It never came The Pacific Athletic Conference picked Oregon State instead.

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