25 Greatest Rose Bowls Of All Time

By Brian Kalchik

25 Greatest Rose Bowls of All Time

Rose Bowl — The Rose Bowl is called "The Granddaddy of Them All" because it's the oldest bowl game, but it's also one of the most important each season. Over the years, there have been some memorable games and memorable performances. Here are the top 25 Rose Bowls of all time.

25. 1991: Washington 46, Iowa 34

Iowa Washington

25. 1991: Washington 46, Iowa 34

Iowa Washington — The Huskies built a 33-7 lead on the Hawkeyes at halftime, but there was a lot of scoring in the second half. Iowa scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough as Washington pulled away for the 12-point margin of victory. The 80 points scored in the game broke the previous Rose Bowl record of 79 back in 1963, which we will get to later.

24. 2014: Michigan State 24, Stanford 20

Stanford Michigan State

24. 2014: Michigan State 24, Stanford 20

Stanford Michigan State — 2014 was the 100th year of the Rose Bowl, and it featured an old-school battle between Stanford and Michigan State. Stanford held a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, but the Spartans were unfazed. MSU's defense held Stanford to just three points in the second half and led 24-20 in the closing minutes. Needing a fourth-down conversion to keep the game alive, Stanford's Tyler Gaffney was stoned by MSU's Kyler Elsworth on fourth-and-one

23. 1972: Stanford 13, Michigan 12

Stanford

23. 1972: Stanford 13, Michigan 12

Stanford — In a defensive struggle, Stanford and Michigan were tied at three at the end of the third quarter in the 1972 game. Down 12-10 in the closing minutes, game MVP Don Bunce completed five straight passes to get then then "Indians" into field goal range. Rod Garcia then drilled a 31-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining to earn the upset. Michigan was ranked No. 4 and undefeated before the game.

22. 1954: Michigan State 28, UCLA 20

Michigan State

22. 1954: Michigan State 28, UCLA 20

Michigan State — Both Michigan State and UCLA were ranked in the top five heading into the 1954 game. This was Michigan State's first Rose Bowl game as a member of the Big Ten. UCLA took a 14-0 lead behind Paul Cameron, who scored both touchdowns. Michigan State then scored 21 unanswered points , but UCLA responded and trailed 21-20 following a missed extra point. MSU's Billy Wells iced the game with a 62-yard punt return touchdown with under five minutes left.

21. 2011: TCU 21, Wisconsin 19

Wisconsin TCU

21. 2011: TCU 21, Wisconsin 19

Wisconsin TCU — TCU became the first team from a non-automatic qualifying conference to win the Rose Bowl in 2011 since Columbia won in 1934. TCU led 14-10 after the first quarter, but the defense dominated the rest of the way. Down 21-13, Wisconsin scored a late touchdown in the fourth, but TCU's Tank Carder stopped the two-point conversion, giving TCU the win.

20. 1995: Penn State 38, Oregon 20

Penn State Oregon

20. 1995: Penn State 38, Oregon 20

Penn State Oregon — Oregon last reached a Rose Bowl in 1958 and Penn State last reached the Rose Bowl in 1923, making this unfamiliar territory for both teams. On Penn State's first offensive play, Ki-Jana Carter, who would become the No. 1 pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, ripped an 83-yard touchdown run to give Penn State the early lead. Oregon kept it close until late in the third, but Penn State outscored the Ducks 24-6 to win comfortably.

19. 1985: USC 20, Ohio State 17

USC

19. 1985: USC 20, Ohio State 17

USC — In this game, three field goals were made from 50-plus yards in this gargantuan matchup between these football powerhouses. USC led 17-6 at halftime, but future Hall-of-Famer Cris Carter guided a Buckeye comeback. He had nine receptions for 172 yards and a touchdown, but the Buckeyes ran out of time, losing 20-17.

18. 1999: Wisconsin 38, UCLA 31

UCLA Wisconsin

18. 1999: Wisconsin 38, UCLA 31

UCLA Wisconsin — The 1999 game between Wisconsin and UCLA was the first year that the Rose Bowl became part of the Bowl Championship Series. After trading scores in the first, the teams combined for 31 second-quarter points as Wisconsin held a 24-21 halftime lead. Ron Dayne had four touchdowns for the Badgers, but DB Jamar Fletcher put the game on ice with a 46-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter.

17. 1971: Stanford 27, Ohio State 17

Stanford Cardinal

17. 1971: Stanford 27, Ohio State 17

Stanford Cardinal — Heading into the 1971 game, Ohio State lost just once in the past three seasons and needed a win over the three-loss Stanford Indians to win the National Championship. But the Buckeyes had to overcome Stanford's Heisman-winning QB in Jim Plunkett. Stanford scored the first 10 points before Ohio State scored 14 unanswered prior to halftime. In the fourth, Stanford scored 14 unanswered points to win by 10, costing Ohio State a championship.

16. 1988: Michigan State 20, USC 17

Michigan State

16. 1988: Michigan State 20, USC 17

Michigan State — Prior to the Rose Bowl, Michigan State played USC in the season opener, and the Spartans won 27-13. In the Rose Bowl, Michigan State led 14-3 at halftime, but USC would tie the score at 17 in the fourth quarter. Michigan State responded with a dramatic 36-yard pass from Bobby McAllister to Andre Rison which set up the go-ahead field goal. USC QB Rodney Peete fumbled on the ensuing drive, giving the Spartans the win.

15. 1990: USC 17, Michigan 10

Rose Bowl

15. 1990: USC 17, Michigan 10

Rose Bowl — In Bo Schembechler's final game as Michigan head coach, the Wolverines were looking to defeat the Trojans in the Rose Bowl for the second consecutive season. With the game tied at 10 in the fourth quarter, Ricky Ervins scored to eventually give the Trojans the seven-point win.

14. 1996: USC 41, Northwestern 32

USC Northwestern

14. 1996: USC 41, Northwestern 32

USC Northwestern — Prior to the 1995 version, Northwestern last appeared in the Rose Bowl in 1949 and they were facing the mighty Trojans. Northwestern fared well in the game, trailing just 31-26 heading into the fourth behind Darnell Autry's three touchdowns. In the end, Keyshawn Johnson's 12 receptions for 216 yards and one touchdown gave the Trojans the nine-point win.

13. 1925: Notre Dame 27, Stanford 10

Notre Dame

13. 1925: Notre Dame 27, Stanford 10

Notre Dame — The 1925 contest featured legends on both sidelines. The coaches were Knute Rockne and Pop Warner while Notre Dame had the "Four Horsemen" and Stanford had Ernie Nevers. This was the first appearance for Notre Dame in any post-season bowl game. Notre Dame's Elmer Layden had two pick-sixes to give the Irish the 17-point win.

12. 1966: UCLA 14, Michigan State 12

UCLA

12. 1966: UCLA 14, Michigan State 12

UCLA — Michigan State came into the 1966 Rose Bowl with a shot at the national championship, but the UCLA Bruins had other ideas. UCLA scored the first 14 points and held that lead until the fourth quarter. Michigan State came back with 12 unanswered points, but a two-point conversion was stopped and the Bruins denied the Spartans the national title.

11. 1978: Washington 27, Michigan 20

Washington

11. 1978: Washington 27, Michigan 20

Washington — The four-loss Washington Huskies came into the 1978 Rose Bowl as huge underdogs against the one-loss Michigan Wolverines. Warren Moon had a field day against the Wolverines, accounting for three touchdowns as the Huskies took a 17-0 lead. Michigan came back in the second half, scoring their 20 points, but Washington held on for the upset.

10. 1975: USC 18, Ohio State 17

USC

10. 1975: USC 18, Ohio State 17

USC — The first three quarters of the 1975 Rose Bowl was a slugfest as Ohio State led 7-3. The fourth quarter was a shootout as 25 points were scored between the teams. USC QB Pat Haden stole the show, throwing for two touchdowns, including the game-winning two-point conversion as the Trojans earned the last-second win.

9. 1976: UCLA 23, Ohio State 10

UCLA

9. 1976: UCLA 23, Ohio State 10

UCLA — In Woody Hayes' last Rose Bowl game, the Ohio State Buckeyes were undefeated heading into the 1976 Rose Bowl against UCLA. The Bruins lost two games and had one tie, and they were big underdogs against the Buckeyes. UCLA scored 16 unanswered points in the third to break open what was a 3-0 deficit. Head coach Dick Vermeil only spent two seasons at UCLA before being hired by the Philadelphia Eagles.

8. 1993: Michigan 38, Washington 31

Rose Bowl

8. 1993: Michigan 38, Washington 31

Rose Bowl — Heading into the 1993 Rose Bowl, Washington was looking for its third consecutive Rose Bowl win and its second straight over the Wolverines. Michigan had other ideas. In a game that featured six lead changes, Michigan RB Tyrone Wheatley ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns, and the Wolverines scored the final two touchdowns to earn the win.

7. 2012: Oregon 45, Wisconsin 38

Russell Wilson Wisconsin

7. 2012: Oregon 45, Wisconsin 38

Russell Wilson Wisconsin — The 2012 Rose Bowl featured two high-scoring offenses and little to no defense. Both teams scored 14 points apiece in the first two quarters, and the game was tied at 28 at halftime. Oregon scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth, and Russell Wilson ran out of time as the Badgers came up short. The 83 points scored in this game broke the previous Rose Bowl record of 80 points in 1991.

6. 1979: USC 17, Michigan 10

USC

6. 1979: USC 17, Michigan 10

USC — Both teams came into this game with just one loss and each were ranked in the top-five. USC jumped out to a 17-3 halftime lead, but the Wolverines came back to within seven. In the second quarter, future USC Heisman winner Charles White fumbled before crossing the goal-line, but he was awarded a touchdown. That ultimately was the difference as the Trojans won by seven.

5. 2005: Texas 38, Michigan 37

Chad Henne Michigan

5. 2005: Texas 38, Michigan 37

Chad Henne Michigan — This contest marked the first time Texas and Michigan faced each other in football, despite the long and rich histories of each program. The lead changed hands multiple times, but the players who really lit things up were Texas QB Vince Young and Michigan WR Braylon Edwards. Young accounted for five touchdowns while Edwards had three of his own. With no time remaining, Texas kicked a game-winning field goal.

4. 1980: USC 17, Ohio State 16

USC

4. 1980: USC 17, Ohio State 16

USC — The 1980 Rose Bowl featured the No. 3-ranked Trojans against the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes. Heisman Trophy winner Charles White dominated for the Trojans, rushing for a Rose Bowl record 247 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The game received a 28.6 Nielsen rating, making it one of the most watched college football games of all time.

3. 1997: Ohio State 20, Arizona State 17

Pat Tillman Arizona State

3. 1997: Ohio State 20, Arizona State 17

Pat Tillman Arizona State — Arizona State was looking for its first national championship in 1997 and were led by Jake Plummer and Pat Tillman, two future NFL stars. The Buckeyes lost their national title hopes with a loss to Michigan but made the Rose Bowl. Ohio State led 14-10 after three, but Arizona State took the lead 17-14. Ohio State then responded with a last-second touchdown, giving them the three-point win.

2. 1963: USC 42, Wisconsin 37

USC

2. 1963: USC 42, Wisconsin 37

USC — A 42-37 score in 1963 seems like a fluke, but on that day, each offense dominated the opposing defense. It was the first No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup to occur in a bowl game. Down 42–14 in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin quarterback Ron Vander Kelen guided the Badgers to 23 unanswered points and put them in position to win the game, but time ran out and USC escaped. USC QB Pete Beathard had four touchdown passes.

1. 2006: Texas 41, USC 38

Vince Young Texas

1. 2006: Texas 41, USC 38

Vince Young Texas — 2006 was not just the greatest Rose Bowl of all time, it is the greatest college football game ever played. Two-time defending champion USC were on the verge of a dynasty, but Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns had different ideas. USC led Texas 38-26 in the fourth, but successive touchdown drives by Young gave the Longhorns the upset win.

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