1969 Rose Bowl

Last updated

1969 Rose Bowl
55th Rose Bowl Game
National Championship Game
Ohio State Buckeyes USC Trojans
(9–0)(9–0–1)
Big Ten Pac-8
2716
Head coach: 
Woody Hayes 		Head coach: 
John McKay
AP Coaches
11
AP Coaches
22
1234Total
Ohio State01031427
USC0100616
DateJanuary 1, 1969
Season 1968
Stadium Rose Bowl
Location Pasadena, California
MVP Rex Kern (Ohio State QB)
Favorite Ohio State by 3½ points [1] [2]
National anthem The Ohio State University Marching Band
Referee Charles Moffett (Pacific-8)
(split crew: Pac-8, Big Ten)
Halftime show Spirit of Troy, The Ohio State University Marching Band
Attendance102,063
United States TV coverage
Network NBC
Announcers Curt Gowdy, Kyle Rote
Rose Bowl
 < 1968   1970 > 
College Football Championship Game
 < 1967 1969 (Dec) > 

The 1969 Rose Bowl was the 55th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Wednesday, January 1. The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference defeated the defending national champions - #2 USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Conference, 27–16. [3] [4] [5] [6] Sophomore quarterback Rex Kern of Ohio State was the Player of the Game. [7]

Contents

Heisman Trophy winner O. J. Simpson rushed for 171 yards and an 80-yard touchdown run, but USC had five turnovers, including an interception and a fumble by Simpson. It was only the second #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Rose Bowl, the first was six years earlier. It was the first time in the history of the Big 9(Ten) – PCC/Big Ten – AAWU agreements that two unbeaten teams met in the Rose Bowl.

It was the first of four Rose Bowl matchups between the head coaches; Woody Hayes of Ohio State and USC's John McKay. It was the first of three with the national championship on the line for both schools.

Teams

This was only the second time in the Rose Bowl where the #1 and #2 teams in the AP Poll played and only the third time in a bowl game: the 1963 Rose Bowl was the first and the 1964 Cotton Bowl Classic was the second. It was the 12th time overall that the #1 and #2 team faced each other since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936. [8] The Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, and College Football Playoff were created later to make at least one matchup of the top two teams in the nation.

Ohio State Buckeyes

The Buckeyes featured a group called "The Super Sophomores" playing in their first varsity season: John Brockington, Leo Hayden, Rex Kern, Jim Otis, Jim Stillwagon, and Jack Tatum. The Buckeyes throttled #4 Michigan 50–14 to complete the regular season, [9] [10] and were favored in the Rose Bowl by 3½ points. [1] [2]

USC Trojans

The defending national champion Trojans finished undefeated with one tie, which occurred at the end of the regular season against ninth-ranked Notre Dame. [11] [12] They had been ranked first since October 14, but dropped to second after Ohio State routed #4 Michigan; [9] [10] USC stayed in that runner-up position even after the 21–21 tie on November 30. [13] They were captained by Heisman Trophy winner O. J. Simpson; it was the third of four consecutive Rose Bowl appearances for USC.

Game summary

This Rose Bowl was also the beginning of a celebration of a century of college football. Later during the 1969 season, many teams wore uniform patches or helmet stickers with "100" to signify the centennial.

The Nixons and Reagans at the Rose Bowl Nixons and Reagans at 1969 Rose Bowl.jpg
The Nixons and Reagans at the Rose Bowl

A number of celebrities were present, including President-elect Richard Nixon, Bob Hope, California Governor and future United States President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan, and former Oklahoma head coach and then-ABC analyst Bud Wilkinson. [14] First Lady Pat Nixon was a graduate of USC, but President Nixon spent time on both sidelines. [14] Richard Nixon called the Rose Bowl Game, "the prize game of all bowl games." [14]

After O. J. Simpson scored on an 80-yard run to give USC a 10–0 lead, a Trojans fumble at their 21-yard line set up a Rex Kern pass to Leo Hayden for the final four yards. A fumbled reception cost Southern Cal the ball again at its own 16. USC had five turnovers, including two by Simpson. Simpson, besides having a fumble and interception, also underestimated the speed of Jack Tatum, the Ohio State cornerback. This happened on a swing pass that should have been a touchdown, and then on the same series when Simpson overthrew a touchdown pass to Ted DeKraai. Ohio State had one fumble, but managed to keep possession. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Scoring

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Aftermath

The following season, Ohio State was stunned in defense of their national title against Michigan, led by first-year head coach Bo Schembechler, in one of the most notable games in the rivalry. When the Super Sophomores were seniors in 1970, OSU went undefeated in the regular season and returned to Pasadena in January 1971, but was upset by Stanford, led by Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett, the first pick of the 1971 NFL Draft.

After losing this Rose Bowl, the Pac-8/10 dominated the series for the next two decades, winning the next four Rose Bowls, ten of the next eleven, and sixteen of the next eighteen.

The next Rose Bowl that matched the #1 and #2 teams was thirty-three years later in January 2002, with Miami (Big East) and Nebraska (Big 12), in the BCS National Championship Game.

Related Research Articles

Steven Packer Preece is a former professional football player, a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, from 1969 to 1977. He played his college football at Oregon State, where he was a successful option quarterback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rex Kern</span> American football player (born 1949)

Rex William Kern is a former American football player. He played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) at defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills. In college, Kern was the quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1968 to 1970; the Buckeyes went undefeated in 1968 and were national champions. Kern was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

The 1967 UCLA vs. USC football game was an American college football game played during the 1967 NCAA University Division football season on November 18, 1967. The UCLA Bruins, 7–0–1 and ranked No. 1, with senior quarterback Gary Beban as a Heisman Trophy candidate, played the USC Trojans, 8–1 and ranked No. 4, with junior running back O. J. Simpson also as a Heisman candidate. This game is widely regarded as the signature game in the UCLA–USC rivalry as well as one of the 20th-century Games of the Century. The 64-yard run by Simpson for the winning touchdown is regarded as one of the greatest run plays in college football.

The 1969 NCAA University Division football season was celebrated as the centennial of college football.

The 1976 Rose Bowl was the 62nd edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Thursday, January 1. The UCLA Bruins of the Pacific-8 Conference defeated the top-ranked and undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference 23–10 in a rare bowl rematch of a regular season game. UCLA quarterback John Sciarra was named the Player of the Game.

The 1973 Rose Bowl was the 59th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Monday, January 1. It matched the undefeated and top-ranked USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Conference with the #3 Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team</span> American college football season

The 1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an American football team that represented the Ohio State University in the 1968 Big Ten Conference football season. It is considered one of the strongest in OSU history, fielding 11 All-Americans and six first-round NFL draft picks. With quarterback Rex Kern and running back Jim Otis leading a powerful OSU offense and Jack Tatum on defense, Woody Hayes' Buckeyes capped an undefeated season with a dominating 50–14 victory over archrival Michigan and a come-from-behind 27–16 victory over defending national champion USC in the 1969 Rose Bowl to secure the national title. This was also the first year the Buckeye players were awarded Buckeye pride stickers for their helmets, each one a reward for a good play. This would be Ohio State's last outright national championship until 2002. Perhaps the biggest highlight of the year for the Buckeyes was their upset of #1 Purdue in their third game.

The 1985 Rose Bowl Game was a postseason college football bowl game between the USC Trojans of the Pacific-10 Conference and Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference, held on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The game resulted in a 20–17 victory for the underdog Trojans.

The 1955 Rose Bowl was the 41st edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Saturday, January 1. The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference defeated the USC Trojans of the Pacific Coast Conference, 20–7.

The 1971 Rose Bowl was It was the 57th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Friday, January 1. The Stanford Indians of the Pacific-8 Conference defeated the second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference, 27–17. The Player of the Game was Stanford quarterback Jim Plunkett, the Heisman Trophy winner.

The 1974 Rose Bowl was the 60th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Tuesday, January 1. The Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference defeated the USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Conference, 42–21. Sophomore quarterback Cornelius Greene of Ohio State was named Player of the Game. This was the sole win for the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl in the 1970s.

The 1980 Rose Bowl was It was the 66th edition of the college football bowl game, played on Tuesday, January 1, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The USC Trojans, champions of the Pacific-10 Conference, defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, champions of the Big Ten Conference, 17–16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Oregon Ducks football team</span> American college football season

The 2009 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon as member of the Pacific-10 Conference the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by head coach Chip Kelly in his first season as a head coach at the Division I FBS level. Kelly was only the third Ducks head coach since 1977 and led the Ducks to a Pac-10 championship and was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year. He took over for Mike Bellotti.

The 1967 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1967 NCAA University Division football season. In their eighth year under head coach John McKay, the Trojans compiled a 10–1 record, won the Athletic Association of Western Universities championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 258 to 87. The team was ranked #1 in the final AP and Coaches Polls.

The 1968 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California (USC) in the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. In their ninth year under head coach John McKay, the Trojans compiled a 9–1–1 record, won the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 259 to 168. The team was ranked #2 in the final Coaches Poll and #4 in the final AP Poll.

The 1975 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. Led by second-year head coach Dick Vermeil, the Bruins won their first Pacific-8 championship in a decade and were 8–2–1 in the regular season. On New Year's Day, UCLA upset previously undefeated and top-ranked Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and climbed to fifth in the final rankings.

The 1967 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State University in the 1967 NCAA University Division football season. The Beavers ended this season with seven wins, two losses, and a tie, and outscored their opponents 187 to 137. Led by third-year head coach Dee Andros, Oregon State finished with 7–2–1 record, 4–1–1 in the Athletic Association of Western Universities tied for runner-up for a second consecutive year.

The 1970 Rose Bowl was the 56th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Thursday, January 1. The USC Trojans, champions of the Pacific-8 Conference, defeated the Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, 10–3. USC flanker Bob Chandler scored the only touchdown and was named the Player of the Game.

The 1969 Big Ten Conference football season was the 74th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1969 NCAA University Division football season.

The 1968 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. All five home games were played on campus in Eugene at Autzen Stadium, which opened the previous year.

References

  1. 1 2 Sullwold, Chet (January 1, 1969). "Rose Bowl theme simple: Who's No.1?". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 73.
  2. 1 2 "Young Buckeyes slight favorites over Trojans". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 31, 1968. p. 2B.
  3. 1 2 "Hayes: 'Greatest bowl victory'; SC falls, 27-16". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1969. p. 3B.
  4. 1 2 Sullwold, Chet (January 2, 1969). "Play to O.J., day to Bucks". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 25.
  5. 1 2 Kahn, Alex (January 2, 1969). "Ohio State quiets skeptics, proves No. 1 rating by beating Trojans, 27-16". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). UPI. p. 21.
  6. 1 2 Jenkins, Dan (January 13, 1969). "Defense and Rex make a king". Sports Illustrated. p. 16.
  7. ↑ 2008 Rose Bowl Program Archived March 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , 2008 Rose Bowl. Accessed January 26, 2008.
  8. ↑ Games Where #1 Faced #2 Archived August 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (kiko13.com)
  9. 1 2 "Rose Bowl next for Bucks". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 24, 1968. p. 4B.
  10. 1 2 Jenkins, Dan (December 2, 1968). "The subject is Roses". Sports Illustrated. p. 22.
  11. ↑ "Trojans salvage 21-21 tie with Irish". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 1, 1968. p. 2B.
  12. ↑ Jenkins, Dan (December 9, 1968). "The day they tied up O.J." Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
  13. ↑ "USC clings to second in grid poll". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 3, 1968. p. 3B.
  14. 1 2 3 Welcome Home. Time Magazine, January 10, 1969

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.