Southern Cal Trojans ©	Oregon Ducks
Played October 18, 1980 at Autzen Stadium Eugene, Oregon

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Southern Cal ©	4	36	3	2	.902	15	1	2	.889	17	2	0	.895	4	0	0	1.000
Oregon	0	0	2	0	.000					0	2	0	.000

 

 

The 2^nd ranked, 5-0 Southern Cal Trojans of coach John Robinson traveled to Eugene to meet the 2-2-1 Oregon Ducks of coach Rich Brooks.  An inspired Oregon team kept the Trojans close with a staunch defense led by All-Pac 10 DT Vince Goldsmith & helped by Southern Cal's mistakes as the Ducks tied the Trojans 7-7 with Southern Cal retaining The Belt (“To Be The Man, You Have To Beat The Man”).  The 1^st quarter was typical of the entire game for the Trojans as All-Pac 10 RB Marcus Allen fumbled at the Oregon 24-yard line on the game’s opening drive, Allen’s 21-yard run to the Oregon 21-yard line was negated by a holding penalty, & CB Jeff Fisher fumbled during a punt return which would have given Southern Cal the ball in Oregon territory.  Even the Trojans’ touchdown came with controversy as a diving WR Jeff Simmons bobbled the 38-yard touchdown pass from QB Gordon Adams.  Most Oregon fans felt he did not have control of the ball as he slid across the end line but it was ruled a catch & touchdown giving Southern Cal a 7-0 lead they held to halftime.  More controversy followed late in the 2^nd quarter as Ducks' RB Reggie Brown thought he had scored with the ball coming loose after he had crossed the goal line.  The line judge even raised his arms to indicate touchdown but then saw the ball on the ground at the Southern Cal 1-yard line & overturned his call keeping the score at 7-0.  Oregon got on the board in the 3^rd quarter with an 80-yard drive highlighted by a 68-yard pass from back-up QB Kevin Lusk to WR Greg Moser which got the ball to the Southern Cal 9-yard line.  Ducks' RB Terrence Jones finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run which tied the game at 7-7.  Oregon never threatened again while the Trojans found ways to stop their own drives.  In the 3^rd quarter, faced with a 3^rd & 2, Allen ran for the first down but a holding penalty nullified the play.  In the 4^th quarter, the Trojans drove to the Oregon 32-yard line & Allen was stopped short on a 4^th & 1 play.  The following series from their own 29-yard line, Adams missed a handoff to Allen & lost 3 yards forcing the Trojans to punt.  The Trojans last chance came with under a minute to play when All-American S Ronnie Lott, who had been beat on Moser's long reception, intercepted Oregon's QB Reggie Ogburn at the Oregon 45-yard line.  Allen gained 11 yards to the Oregon 34-yard line & Adams scrambled to the Oregon 30-yard line as PK Eric Hipp was ready to try a 47-yard field goal attempt which was well within his range but a personal foul penalty called against a Trojans' lineman took Southern Cal out of Hipp’s range.  Adams finished with 103 yards passing with a touchdown while Allen rushed for 159 yards.  Lusk threw for 97 yards for the Ducks & the Trojans were penalized 7 times for 85 yards.  Southern Cal finished the season 8-2-1; ranked 11^th nationally while the Ducks finished 6-3-2.  Oregon would play for The Belt again in 1984.