This weekend marks the start of the 2025 Men’s College World Series. USC baseball will not be playing in Omaha this year, after the Trojans fell to Oregon State in the final of the Corvallis Regional. Back in 1973, however, the Trojans played in one of the greatest College World Series games of all-time.

In a 2020 story, Trojans Wire’s Matt Zemek detailed the wild 1973 game between USC and Minnesota.

”Dave Winfield was a badass pitcher in the 1973 College World Series,” Zemek wrote. “In his first start of the series — against Oklahoma — Winfield pitched a shutout in which he struck out 14 batters. He won, 1-0. Against USC in this late-round contest a few days later, he dominated once again, shutting out the Trojans through eight innings on one hit, striking out 15 hitters.

“Let’s keep in mind here: Dave Winfield is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He is unquestionably an all-time-great player. He was absolutely mowing down everyone he faced in the 1973 College World Series. He threw 17 shutout innings in two games. His Minnesota team led USC 7-0 entering the ninth inning of the 1973 semifinal (a semifinal in which Minnesota needed to beat USC once to force a rematch to make the finals). One team having a seven-run lead entering the ninth is, by itself, “game over” 99.999 percent of the time. With a future Hall of Famer on the mound for Minnesota, the game felt that much more done and dusted.

“If you have never heard about this game before, and you’re reading all these words being written about the game, you can guess what we’re about to say next: Yes, USC scored eight runs in the ninth to win, 8-7. Winfield’s arm got tired — at 140 pitches, with one out in the ninth — and he left the game with the Gophers’ lead being cut to 7-4. The Minnesota bullpen couldn’t get two lousy outs with a three-run lead. USC just kept slashing away, knocking one hit after another to mount the most incredible rally the College World Series has ever seen.

“What adds to the specialness of the rally is that USC went on to win the 1973 CWS title, part of a run of five straight national championships from 1970 through 1974, easily the most dynastic run in the event’s history. USC baseball from 1970 through 1974 is the equivalent of what John Wooden and UCLA basketball achieved with seven straight national championships from 1967 through 1973.”

The Trojans have not been back to the College World Series since 2001. After a breakthrough season under Andy Stankiewicz this year, USC fans are hopeful that a return to Omaha is not all that far away.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC’s 1973 College World Series win vs Minnesota remains legendary