1969 Rose Bowl

NCAAFootballSingleGameHeader
Name=1969 Rose Bowl
Date=January 1, 1969
Year=1968
Visitor School=Ohio State University
Visitor Name Short=Ohio State
Visitor Nickname=Buckeyes
Visitor Record=9-0
Visitor

Visitor Coaches=
Visitor Coach=Woody Hayes
Visitor1=0
Visitor2=10
Visitor3=3
Visitor4=14
Visitor Total=27
Home School=USC
Home Name Short=USC
Home Nickname=Trojans
Home Record=9-0-1
Home

Home Coaches=
Home Coach=John McKay
Home1=10
Home2=0
Home3=6
Home4=0
Home Total=16
Type=bg
Stadium=Rose Bowl
City=Pasadena, California
Attendance = 102,063
Odds=
MVP = Rex Kern (Ohio State QB)
Anthem = The Ohio State University Marching Band
Halftime = Spirit of Troy, The Ohio State University Marching Band
US Network = NBC
US Announcers = Curt Gowdy, Kyle Rote

The 1969 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1969. It was the 55th Rose Bowl Game. The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the USC Trojans 27-16. Rex Kern, the Ohio State Quarterback was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. [http://www.bowlprograms.com/rosebowl/?pg=182 2008 Rose Bowl Program] , 2008 Rose Bowl. Accessed January 26, 2008.]

Heisman trophy winner O. J. Simpson rushed for 171 yards and an 80 yard touchdown run, but USC had five turnovers, including both an interception and a fumble by Simpson. It was only the second #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Rose Bowl. The 1963 Rose Bowl was the first. It was the first time in the history of the Big Ten-PCC/Pac-8 agreement that two unbeaten teams faced each other.

It was the first of four Rose Bowl matchups featuring Ohio State coach Woody Hayes and USC coach John McKay. It was the first of two with the National Championship on the line for both schools.

Teams

This was only the 2nd time in the Rose Bowl where the #1 and #2 teams on the AP poll played. It was only the third time in a Bowl game. The 1963 Rose Bowl was the first and the 1964 Cotton Bowl 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. [ [http://www.kiko13.com/cflrankings/aponevstwo.htm Games Where #1 Faced #2] (kiko13.com)] The Bowl Championship Series was created later to make at least one matchup of the top two teams in the nation.

Ohio State University Buckeyes

The Buckeyes featured a group called "The Super Sophmores" playing in their first varsity season.
John Brockington, Leo Hayden, Rex Kern, Jim Otis, Jim Stillwagon and Jack Tatum.

USC Trojans

The Trojans finished undefeated, with one tie at the end of the season against #9 ranked Notre Dame. They had been ranked #1 since October 19, but the 21-21 tie put Ohio State in the top spot. They were captained by Heisman Trophy winner O. J. Simpson.

Game Summary

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

A number of celebrities were present, including 1968 President-elect Richard Nixon, Bob Hope, and Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson.Welcome Home. Time Magazine, January 10, 1969] First Lady Pat Nixon was a graduate of USC, but President Nixon spent time on both sidelines. Richard Nixon called the Rose Bowl Game, "the prize game of all bowl games."

A USC fumble at the Trojans' 21 yard line set up a Rex Kern pass to Leo Hayden for the final 4 yards, then a fumbled reception cost Southern Cal the ball again at its own 16. USC had five turnovers, including two by O. J. Simpson. Simpson, besides having a fumble and interception, also underestimated the speed of John 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.

coring

First Quarter

*No score

econd Quarter

*USC - Ayala 21 field goal, 9:40
*USC - Simpson 80 run (Ayala kick), 6:38
*OSU - Otis 1 run (Roman kick), 1:45
*OSU - Roman 26 field goal, 0:03

Third Quarter

*OSU - Roman 25 field goal, 1:40

Fourth Quarter

*OSU - Hayden 4 pass from Kern (Roman kick), 13:52
*OSU - Gillian 16 pass from Kern (Roman kick),10:05
*USC - Dickerson 19 pass from Sogge (Sogge pass failed), 7:32

Aftermath

The super sophmores would be stunned in defense of their national title in the 1969 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game, one of the most notable in the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. They would appear in their senior season in the 1971 Rose Bowl where they lost to a Jim Plunkett - led Stanford team.

The 2006 Rose Bowl was the third Rose Bowl game matchup between the AP #1 and #2 teams. All three #1 vs #2 Rose Bowl games have featured the USC Trojans.

External links

* [http://www.tournamentofroses.com/rosebowlgame/ Rose Bowl Game official site]
* [http://www.rosebowlhistory.org/rose-bowl-1969.php Summary at Rosebowlhistory.org]

ee also

*Rose Bowl Game

References

Bibliography

*University of Southern California football media guide. (PDF copy available at [http://www.usctrojans.com www.usctrojans.com] )
*Ohio State University football media guide. (PDF copy available at [http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com] )
*"College Football's Twenty-Five Greatest Teams": The Sporting News. ISBN 0-89204-281-8
*cite book
last = Park
first = Jack
authorlink =
title = The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia: National Championship Edition
publisher = Sports Publishing LLC
series =
year = 2003
doi =
isbn = 1582616957
*Jenkins, Dan - Defense And Rex Make A King. Ohio State's Buckeyes came from 10 points behind to win the Rose Bowl and the national championship with a crushing display of excellence that kept USC's offense in hand and its defense dismayed. Sports Illustrated, January 13, 1969