Trojans in the NFL: Conference Championships

No matter what happens in two weeks, the Trojan Family will add some Super Bowl rings to the collection. Here's how USC alums fared in this weekend's NFL conference championships:

Steve Smith (WR - New York Giants) made two caches, of 14 and 11 yards, in a 23-20 OT victory in Green Bay.

Junior Seau (LB - New England) had six tackles and made the Pats' only sack in a 21-12 win over San Diego.

Matt Cassell (QB - New England) didn't take a snap against New York, but will back up Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. He may become the first person to ever win a college national championship ring with an undefeated season AND a Super Bowl ring with an undefeated season (we haven't double-checked the undefeated Dolphins roster, though). He already holds the rare distinction of backing up two Heisman Trophy winners (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart) and an NFL MVP (Tom Brady).

Norv Turner (Coach - San Diego) heads home after the Bolts ended a second straight season with a loss to the Patriots. Turner, in his first year in San Diego, oversaw an impressive turnaround that took the Chargers from 1-3 to 11-5. Including the postseason, they rode an eight-game winning streak into New England. To see how Turner's popularity changed throughout the season, click here.

Reserves Oscar Lua (LB - New England) and Manuel Wright (DT - New York) will probably enjoy a view of the Super Bowl from the sidelines.

Comments

[Jonathan]

Bob Kuechenberg was on the 1972 Miami Dolphins. I can't confirm that he was on the 1966 Notre Dame squad, but he was drafted in 1969, which according to my calculations he would have been a sophomore in 1966. Even with the no-freshmen rule, he should have been on that team unless he was a JC transfer. Notre Dame went 9-0-1 that year, thus he would have been the first or one of the first to go be an undefeated champion both in college football and in the NFL.