[EDIT 11/30/2023: Introducing the "football" label]
USC defeats Ohio State 18-17 at the Rose Bowl. The coaches' poll, the Football Writers, and the National Football Foundation all declare the Trojans national champions, but the AP ranks USC second and gives the title to Oklahoma, whose team – although they won all 11 of their games – is on probation and prevented from playing in bowl games. The Sooners are undefeated for a second year in a row.
Notre Dame wins the Orange Bowl 13-11 over Alabama. The Sugar Bowl on New Year's Eve is a 13-10 victory for Nebraska against Florida.
In their game against Notre Dame, USC trails at halftime, but then scores 55 points.
Ohio State halfback Archie Griffin wins the Heisman Trophy, and he will win that award again the next year. He has 1,695 yards on 256 attempts and 12 touchdowns.
The Maxwell Award goes to Steve Joachim, a Temple quarterback with 1,950 passing yards and 20 TDs; he has a 150.1 rating. His 2,227 yards of total offense in 10 games are a Division I best.
Maryland defensive tackle Randy White wins the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award. Dallas will make this unanimous All-American the second overall pick in '75.
Steve Bartkowski of California is the leading passer in terms of completions, going 182 for 325. He throws for 2,580 yards and 12 TDs. The consensus All-American will be the first player picked in the '75 NFL Draft and join the Atlanta Falcons.
Future pro star Walter Payton plays his last season of a low-key career at Jackson State. His totals are 3600 yards in 598 attempts, and he has scored 63 TDs. Payton is the leading rusher in the Senior Bowl with 77 yards. In '75, he will be the fourth player picked overall in the NFL Draft and start a great career with the Chicago Bears.
John Provost finishes his three-year career at Holy Cross with only 27 interceptions. This record is second only to the one set by Al Brosky of Illinois (29 INTs from '50 to '52).
Heisman runner-up Anthony Davis of USC sets a record for kickoff return average with a mark of 35.1 over three seasons. Davis is a consensus All-American running back (along with Griffin and Oklahoma's Joe Washington) whose 301 rushing attempts in '74 go for 1,421 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Also from USC, Charles Phillips sets a single-season record with 302 yards on interception returns.
The writers and coaches agree: third-year Baylor coach Grant Teaff is Coach of the Year. The Bears improve from a 2-9 season last year to an 8-4 season and Cotton Bowl appearance for '74.
Louie Giammona of Utah State is the rushing leader with 1,534 yards on 329 carries. He is also the all-purpose yards leader with 1,984.
Dwight McDonald of San Diego State is the receiving leader with 86 catches in 11 games. He gets 1,157 yards and 7 TDs.
Chris Sizemore finishes at Bridgewater College with 32.7 rushes per game over three years, a Division III record.
Former Michigan center Gerald Ford is sworn in as President August 9.
A Sooners retrospective from the Tulsa World Web site
What OU's probation started, according to Berry Tramel on NewsOK.com
The USC-Notre Dame game and other highlights of the teams' rivalry from ESPN
Archie Griffin on ESPN Classic
Walter Payton's college football career on the Division II Football Hall of Fame Web site
1974 season homepage at Sports Reference
