Drury's finest season came in 1927 as the senior captain employed his skillful passing and rushing to carry the Trojans to an 8–1–1 record. USC shared the Pacific Coast Conference title with Stanford University, battling the Indians to a 13–13 deadlock. The only smudge on the Trojan record was a mid-season loss to powerful Notre Dame, 7–6. Drury had 180 yards and three touchdowns against Washington, prompting the crowd at Memorial Coliseum to give him a 10-minute standing ovation. Drury led the team in scoring (76 points) and rushing (1163 yards) and won first-team All-America honors. His 1163 yards marked the first time a USC player surpassed 1,000 yards rushing and stood as a USC record until Mike Garrett eclipsed the mark with 1440 yards during his 1965 Heisman Trophy campaign.
