Cougars vs. USC Trojans - November 1926 Alumnus magazine

COUGARS, 7; TROJANS, 16
The Alumnus, November 1926

Holding Southern California’s heavy backfield men twice to a standstill within inches of the line and showing a brilliant straight football attack which the Southerners could not equal, Washington State went down fighting to a 16 to 7 defeat in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Permitting the high scoring Trojan team a margin of only one touchdown and a safety, State again upset the dope bucket, as U. S. C. was picked by experts to win by at least 28 points. This low score will place W. S. C. on a par with many of the Coast schools in the conference race and reflects seriously on the judgment of the critics who ranked the Cougars sixth among the conference schools.

Dan Horan, 1926 W.S.C. fullback

State’s touchdown came in the last quarter, when Horan smashed through the Trojan center and over the goal line from the one-yard mark after W.S. C. had uncorked an effective aerial attack, tossing the ball from well in its own territory to the California four- yard line. Meeker hit center for three additional yards and Horan carried the ball over.

California’s tallies were the result of a Cougar safety and two forward passes tossed after the Southerners had twice lost the ball on downs within striking distance of the goal, when the heavy U. S. C. backs were unable to gain through the Cougar line.

“Butch” Meeker again delighted Los Angeles fans with his spectacular play, although he did not hit his stride until the last quarter. He made several nice gains returning punts and tossed passes in flocks, completing the majority. Then he switched and gathered in a few throws for substantial gains himself.

In the first quarter there was no scoring whatever, with both teams battling in midfield. The second stanza was a repetition of the first until the last few minutes of play, when Kaer and Lataneta, for the Trojans, carried the ball to within a yard of the Cougar line by a stream of line bucks. There the Southerners lost the ball on downs and Sweet’s punt from behind his own goal line was blacked. Sweet recovered for a safety. The score at the end of the half was: U. S. C., 2; State, 0

Charlie Sweet, 1926 W,S,C halfback

U. S. C. did the rest of its scoring in the third period. Soon after the half ended, Kaer made a 30-yard gallop down the field. A pass to Drury added nine more. A moment later Kaer shot a pass to Badgro and the California end crossed the line for the first touchdown of the day.

A succession of passes and bucks by Kaer, Laraneta, and Drury again placed the Trojans within striking distance and Drury crossed the Cougar line after another pass. He kicked the extra point.
State’s combination of Meeker, Horan, Koenig and Rohwer worked well in the last quarter.

Two passes, Meeker to Taylor and Meeker to Horan, toted the ball to Troy’s seven-yard string. Line plays made four yards and Meeker plugged center for two more, putting the ball on the one- yard mark. Horan then made the rest through center for State’s only score. Meeker converted the try for point.

U. S. C. made 18 first downs to six for State. The Cougars had a 10- yard favorable balance on punts, however, averaging 40 yards while their opponents averaged 30. Each team was penalized six times, W. S. C. for a total of 40 yards and U. S. C. for 35 yards.

Californians Have Respect for Cougars
The Alumnus, November 1926

Los Angels, Calif., Oct. 16.—Should the University of Southern California gridders succeed in copping the Pacific Coast conference title this season much of the credit will be due the Washington State Cougars, football experts and officials are claiming.

The Cougar team met the Trojans in the Los Angeles Coliseum and after one of the most tense and nerve-tingling conetsts in the history of the bowl, the cohorts of Coach Howard Jones emerged a 16 to 7 winner. Washington State in two games has so thrilled Southern California fans that the Cougars will always be a drawing card here and if General Manager Gwynn Wilson can bring them south again next season the stadium will probably be packed. Nearly 40,000 witnessed the game last week.

When the game was completed the Trojans were a greater team by far than at the same time last season. The terrific battle which the Cougars presented was just what Southern California had need of. Against Whittier the Trojans had little to hold them back—against Santa Clara they had to fight only a half of the game and then ramble easily down the field for counters.

But against Washington State there wasn’t an idle moment. Three times the plucky northwesterners held the Trojans as the Jones team stood on the Cougar goal line. It is said that hard battles make championship teams; the Trojans were given their start last week. A year ago, when Southern California met Stanford, the Trojans had been through four easy games and had met almost no opposition in play. On the other hand, Stanford had gone through two gigantic struggles and it was the latter experience which made the winner.

During the coming two weeks there seems to be little but hard, tedious work in front of the Trojans. According to Trojan coaches the men need to cultivate a punch when near the goal line, to perfect their interference, to learn to combat passes and to charge as a unit. There were times when the ball carrier might just as well have been running unprotected and the quarterbacks were often thrown for big losses. Meeker had the Southern Californians pass-dizzy during the latter half.

The 1926 Football Season:

The Football Situation - October 1926, The Alumnus magazine

Cougars vs. Idaho - November 1926, The Alumnus magazine

Cougars vs. Montana Grizzlies - November 1926, The Alumnus magazine

Cougars vs. Huskies - November 1926, The Alumnus magazine

The Victory Team - December 1926, The Alumnus magazine