“UCLA Week” here at Lost Lettermen continues with a look at the 1984 Rose Bowl, a 45-9 victory by the Bruins over Illinois.
Ex-UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel was the offensive MVP of the game, throwing four touchdown passes in the rout. Two of those TD tosses were to Karl Dorrell (2003-07), who eventually would join Neuheisel (2008-11) as a fellow failed Bruins head coach.
The Rose Bowl victory was a surprising one for UCLA, which had just a 6-4-1 record entering the game against 10-win Illinois.
Jim L. Mora has taken over for Neuheisel as the Bruins’ head coach in 2012 and looks to return the program to prominence. UCLA hasn’t played in the Rose Bowl since 1999.
