C.R. Roberts, who led USC to victory over Longhorns in segregated Texas, has died at 87

By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — C.R. Roberts helped Southern California beat Texas with a record-setting performance in a 1956 road game played in segregated Austin. He has died at 87. USC says Roberts died of natural causes in the Los Angeles suburb of Norwalk. Roberts set a single-game rushing record with 251 yards on 12 carries in the Trojans’ 44-20 victory. The team tried three hotels in Austin before finding one that would allow its Black players to stay. Roberts says he was upset that he wasn’t welcome and felt he had something to prove in the game. He later played four years in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.