Following a three-year enlistment in the
Marine Corps - he also played for the El Toro Marines, gaining about 1,000 yards in each of two years at the El Toro Marine Air Corps Station - Carmichael played one year of
college football at Santa Ana Junior College. At Santa Ana, he rushed for 1,110 yards with 19 TDs to earn Little All-American honors and was on a Junior Rose Bowl squad. Carmichael then played at the
University of Southern California (USC). As a Trojan, he was a three-year letter winner (1950-51-52), leading the team in rushing as a sophomore and in kick returns as a senior. At USC he scored the winning touchdown in the
1953 Rose Bowl against
Wisconsin. Carmichael caught a third quarter pass from back-up quarterback Rudy Bukich to win the game, 7–0. ==Professional career==