USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans RB Sam Cunningham

Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.

Today, we look at USC Hall of Fame running back Sam Cunningham.

Position: Running back

Years played at USC: 1970-1972

Career highlights: Cunningham starred at fullback for John McKay's USC teams of the early 1970s. As a senior in 1972, he earned first-team All-American honors. In the 1973 Rose Bowl against Ohio State, Cunningham scored four touchdowns, clinching an undefeated season and a national championship for the Trojans.

Perhaps Cunningham's biggest, impact, though, came in the 1970 game between USC and Alabama. At the time, the Crimson Tide still did not have any African American players on their team. Getting dominated 42-21 by Cunningham and the integrated Trojans, however, prompted legendary Alabama head coach Bear Bryant to change that the following year, forever altering the course of college football.

In 2010, Cunningham was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and the USC Athletics Hall of Fame.

After USC: The New England Patriots selected Cunningham with the 11th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft. He would go on to play for the team from 1973-1982, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1978. In 2010, he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.

Cunningham passed away in 2021 at the age of 71.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans RB Sam Cunningham