The early 1970s was a time of racial divide in America.
Reflecting the times, college football was segregated in the South, with just handfuls of black players on major college teams across the nation. Against this backdrop, the 197s USC football team completed an epic full circle journey that began with an historic game in Alabama, when an integrated Trojan team soundly beat the Crimson Tide and opened the door for integration in the south. But even as they were part of this significant civil rights moment, the Trojans team was racially divided. After experiencing two mediocre seasons in 1970 and ‘71, a group of 20-year-old team leaders – both black and white – were determined to bring unity and excellence. The team went on to dominate the game and win a national championship. They were a team of destiny, that nearly derailed in their pursuit of greatness. In persevering and coming together, as football’s first truly integrated team, they changed the game and impacted the nation.