USC - Notre Dame - 50 Years later

November 30, 2024

This is a story about how a football game that I watched 50 years ago today, and a very special person, changed my life!

In November 1974 I was living in College Park, Maryland, just down the street from my parents on Norwich Road.  Thanksgiving had been a nice day, and on this Saturday I walked up the street to help my Dad rake leaves in the yard.  

In the early afternoon we moved inside the house to have lunch and watch football.  ABC sports was showing a game between Notre Dame and the University of Southern California in the historic LA Coliseum with 83,552 people in attendance. I had never seen a USC game, and truthfully, I didn't really understand the difference between USC and UCLA.  This game pitted the last two national champions in their annual cross-country rivalry -- USC was the National Champion in 1972, and Notre Dame in 1973.  The game attracted a national audience.

Notre Dame was killing USC and had run up a score of 24 - 0.  Just before halftime, USC finally scored a touchdown, but missed the extra point.

During halftime, we recessed to the kitchen to make sandwiches from Thursday's left over turkey.  I suggested to my Dad that we should switch to another game, since this one was so lopsided.  As we settled into the family room, Notre Dame began the second half by kicking off to USC.  Anthony Davis received the kick in the end zone and ran 100+ yards for a touchdown.  OK, I thought, this might get interesting!

As Dad and I watched in awe, USC went on to score 55 points in under 17 minutes, possibly one of the greatest comebacks in NCAA history.  

 Here is a nice story that Sports Illustrated published this week if you want to know all the details of this historic game.

Sports Illustrated Story About USC - ND 1974

The next game for USC was against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl on New Year's day.  USC won that game too and went on to win their second national championship in three years. 

Who could have predicted that fewer than two years later I would be working at USC?

In May of 1976 I was working in the President's Office at the University of Maryland as a senior budget analyst. My bosses at Maryland had been very good to me, and they allowed me to earn my MBA while working. My work life was good, but I longed for a change from small town College Park. 

In the Chronicle for Higher Education I saw a job posted for an associate budget officer at USC.  I thought, "I know a bit about USC", and created my first resume and wrote a letter of application.  

A few weeks later I receive a phone call from a Mr. David Shawaker.  We talked about my qualifications and the opportunity at USC.  David arranged for me to fly to Los Angeles for an on-campus interview.  It was only the second time that I had flown in an airplane, and the first time that I had rented a car.  I interviewed with David, the VP of Finance, the Executive Vice President, the CFO, and a few other people. David offered me the job before I flew back to Maryland.  I went to the bookstore and bought a USC sweatshirt and while there I saw a USC clock fashioned from a photo of the scoreboard of the USC-ND game for sale.  Unfortunately I didn't buy one!

I was a single parent, but I decided to make the move with my two daughters, Carrie and Mary.  We arrived in Los Angeles in July and I've been in California ever since.  David and his wife, Pat, provided so much support to my family -- we could not have survived the transition to LA without them.

As I met people at USC I would frequently ask them if they were at the 1974 game.  Everyone knew about, or remembered, that game. Each told their own story of the experience, many telling me that they stood in the stands for the entire second half.  Like them, I never forgot that game.

There are so many things in my life that grew out of these life changing events, and I am forever grateful to David for giving me that amazing opportunity.  And through his influence I served three "tours of duty" at USC, each one a rewarding experience.

Our relationship was much more than professional.  When Nan and I were married, David was our Best Man.  And later he came to the hospital to see Canon the day she was born. 

Thank you Trojans, and David, for 50 years of memories!

Sincerely, Cary