The Rose Bowl is appointment viewing every year, no matter the teams in the game. It is the one part of the college football bowl season that even those who support a playoff system don’t want changed.
On January 2 – pushed back a day because of an NFL slate on New Year’s Day – Wisconsin will take on Oregon in the latest edition of the game. Will it be another classic late-afternoon tilt in Pasadena? We hope so.
So let’s look at the Top 10 Rose Bowl games of all time in preparation for the 2012 “Granddaddy of Them All” based on the game’s intrigue, excitement, drama and implications.
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10. 1988: Michigan State 20, USC 17
For the youngsters out there used to tuning into ABC for “The Granddaddy of Them All,” we remember the 1988 Rose Bowl as the last one broadcast on NBC. The game on the field was memorable as well, with Michigan State breaking a 17-17 tie on John Langeloh’s 36-yard field goal with four minutes left. USC marched the other way, but quarterback Rodney Peete (below) fumbled a snap that was recovered by Todd Krumm to seal the Spartans’ win.
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9. 1926: Alabama 20, Washington 19
You know all those rabid Alabama fans who are readying for the BCS National Championship Game with LSU? Their allegiance to the Tide no doubt began before they were born – perhaps on January 1, 1926, when Wallace Wade guided ‘Bama to a 20-19 victory over Washington after falling behind 12-0 en route to the school’s first national championship. Harvey Updyke retroactively says, “Roll Damn Tide!”
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8. 1929: Georgia Tech 8, Cal 7
This game was memorable for a costly gaffe by Cal’s Roy Riegels, who did something one may never see again in the Rose Bowl. He scooped up a fumble and ran 65 yards in the wrong direction before teammates were able to stop him at his own 3-yard line. A slew of tacklers then brought Riegels down at the 1, leading to a blocked punt, safety and eventually the decisive two points in the Bears’ 8-7 loss to the Yellow Jackets. Ouch.
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7. 1963: USC 42, Wisconsin 37
This was an important match-up from a historical perspective. It was the first meeting between the top two teams in the country in a bowl game. Pete Beathard threw four touchdown passes for the Trojans to account for a 42-14 margin. The Badgers stormed back but fell short as the Trojans won the 1962 national championship – their fifth title and the first under legendary coach John McKay (pictured).
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6. 1998: Michigan 21, Washington State 16
They are still talking about the controversial ending to this game. In fact, Ryan Leaf dedicated the title of his new book, “596 Switch,” to the play the Cougars would have run if time hadn’t controversially run out (granted, Wazzu got away with a blatant offensive pass interference earlier on the drive). Leaf unsuccessfully attempted to spike the ball with two seconds left. Instead, Brian Griese – son of former Rose Bowl star Bob Griese – and the Wolverines earned a share of the national title. Charles Woodson, the Heisman winner that season, would notch a key interception of Leaf in the process.
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So they were all great because the Pacific Coast schools lost or barely won over a rallying non-conference opponent.