History Of The Rose Bowl

On Jan. 1, 1902, the first Rose Bowl game is played as the Michigan Wolverines beat the Stanford Cardinal 49-0.

On Jan. 1, 1916, the first game is played at the Rose Bowl. The game takes place in Los Angeles, Calif. as the Washington State Cougars faced off against the Brown Bears.

The Washington State Cougars would beat the Brown Bears 14-0.

This would mark the first of the annually played games between a member of the Pac-8 (would change to Pac-10, and now Pac-12) and the Big Ten.

The Rose Bowl is always played on New Years Day unless that day is a Sunday, then it falls on Jan. 2.

The Rose Bowl is nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All" because it is the oldest bowl game. Since 1945, it has been the highest attended college football bowl game. It is a part of the Tournament of Roses "America's New Year Celebration", which also includes the historic Tournament of Roses Parade. Except in the years when the Rose Bowl served as the BCS National Championship Game, the Rose Bowl game has continued to be played in the afternoon.

In 1942 the Rose Bowl was moved to North Carolina.

After the United States declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941, as part of the American reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor, there were concerns about a possible Japanese attack on the West Coast. 

Much discussion focused on the possibility of an attack where any crowds might gather. The Rose Parade, with a million watchers, and the Rose Bowl, with 90,000 spectators, were presumed to be ideal targets for the Japanese. Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt recommended that the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl festivities be canceled.

The Rose Bowl committee originally planned to cancel the game. On December 16, 1941, Duke University invited the game and Oregon State to Duke's home stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

In 2002 and 2006 (2001 and 2005 football seasons), the Rose Bowl game was also the BCS National Championship Game.

USC has appeared in and won the Rose Bowl the most times with 32 appearances and 24 wins, their last appearance was 2009. The second most appearances and wins comes from the Michigan Wolverines who have 20 appearances and eight wins, their last appearance was 2007.

The biggest point discrepancy in Rose Bowl history came in the first Rose Bowl in 1902 as the Michigan Wolverines beat the Stanford Cardinal 49-0, and in 1948 when the Wolverines beat the USC Trojans 49-0.

There have been five ties in the history of the Rose Bowl as Washington, Cal, Stanford, Alabama and Navy have all tied in the bowl game.

The most valuable player in the Rose Bowl game is given a crystal trophy that is the Rose Bowl Player of the Game Award. The award was created in 1953 and awarded retroactively for players all the way back to the 1902 Rose Bowl. 

Occasionally, the award has been shared by two players. Beginning with the 2005 Rose Bowl Game, the Rose Bowl Player of the Game Award has been given to both offensive and defensive players of the game.

USC has the most Rose Bowl Player of the Game Awards with 35 awards coming in 29 years in which USC made the Rose Bowl, including six awards from 2007-2009. Six years the Trojan had two players win trophies, and in 1963 and 1979 the Trojan split the awards with the Wisconsin badgers (‘63) and Michigan Wolverines (‘79).

The no.1 and no. 2 BCS ranked teams have faced off in the Rose Bowl three times. The first was in 1963 as no. 1 USC defeated no. 2 Wisconsin 42-37. 

The second time came in 1969 as no. 1 Ohio State defeated no. 2 USC 27-16. 

The third time was in 2006 as part of the BCS National Championship Game no. 2 Texas defeated no. 1 USC 41-38. Texas was voted national champion. (USC’s participation was later vacated as part of Reggie Bush being given money while at USC).

This years Rose Bowl Game features the Stanford Cardinal against the Michigan State Spartans. Last year the Cardinal beat the Wisconsin Badgers 20-14.

This marks the second time in school history that Stanford has played in back-to-back Rose Bowl’s.

The previous time came in 1971 and 1972, when the Cardinal beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 27-17, and the Michigan Wolverines 13-12.