The USC Trojans were a hugely successful college baseball powerhouse in the 1960s, winning multiple College World Series championships and establishing the Trojans as the foremost force in the sport. Yet, as great as USC was in the 1960s, the Trojans took their dominance to an entirely different and higher level in the 1970s. This is when USC baseball became the equivalent of what UCLA basketball was accomplishing in the same era under John Wooden.
The 1970 College World Series is notable on a few levels. It was the first of five straight national championships for USC, right when UCLA was in the middle of winning seven straight college basketball national titles from 1967 through 1973.
The other part of 1970 which we wrote about is that USC pulled off a very difficult high-wire act:
“Sure enough, the Trojans were able to win the College World Series after a Game 1 loss for the third time in their history. They did indeed lose to Ohio, 4-1. They responded with a 7-1 win over Delaware and a 6-1 victory over Dartmouth, but even as the eight-team field shrank to three, USC was swimming against the current.
“USC, Florida State, and Texas were the last three teams standing after Florida State knocked out Ohio. Texas was unbeaten. Florida State and USC had one loss. Texas, as long as it avoided losing two games in a row on consecutive days, was going to be in the final. USC was going to have to win two straight games to earn the championship. It was Texas’s tournament to lose.”
USC beat Texas in 14 innings to completely change the trajectory of the tournament and simultaneously stay alive. The Trojans’ ability to win very close elimination games was a constant theme in their College World Series conquests. Winning the CWS after losing Game 1 is something USC has done four times in its history, 1970 being the third. USC’s clutch identity in college baseball simply stands above every other school.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.
Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.