| Rose Bowl Game | |
|---|---|
| Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential | |
| The Granddaddy of Them All | |
 | |
| Stadium | Rose Bowl |
| Location | Pasadena, California |
| Previous stadiums | Tournament Park (1902, 1916–1922) |
| Temporary venue | Duke Stadium,Durham, North Carolina (1942)[a] AT&T Stadium,Arlington, Texas (2021)[b] |
| Operated | 1902, 1916–present |
| Championship affiliation | |
| Conference tie-ins | Big Ten (1947–present) |
| Previous conference tie-ins | Pac-12 (1917–2023) |
| Payout | US$35 million/conference(As of 2016[update])[2] |
| Website | rosebowlgame |
| Sponsors | |
| |
| Former names | |
| |
| 2023 season matchup | |
| Michigan vs.Alabama (Michigan 27–20OT) | |
| 2024 season matchup | |
| Oregon vs.Ohio State (Ohio State 41–21) | |
TheRose Bowl Game is an annual Americancollege footballbowl game, traditionally played on January 1 (New Year's Day) at theRose Bowl inPasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2.
Nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All" by broadcasterKeith Jackson, it was the first postseason football game ever established.[3] The Rose Bowl Game was first played in 1902 as theTournament East–West football game, and has been played annually since 1916. Since 1945, it has been the highest attended college football bowl game.[4] The game is a part of thePasadena Tournament of Roses Association's "America's New Year Celebration", which also includes the historicRose Parade. Winners of the game receive the Leishman Trophy, named for former Tournament of Roses presidents, William L. Leishman and Lathrop K. Leishman who played an important part in the history of this game.
Starting in 1917, the Rose Bowl Game selected a team from the predecessor of thePac-12 Conference each year along with a team from the eastern half of the country. In 1947, the Rose Bowl Game began its traditional matchup of the conference champions from theBig Ten Conference andPac-12 Conference, which continued to 2023, with some exceptions.
In1998, the Rose Bowl Game joined with several other bowls to create theBowl Championship Series to produce anundisputed national champion in college football. This marked the first time the Rose Bowl agreed to release the Big Ten or Pac-12 champion to play in a national championship game if they were ranked #1 or #2. The Rose Bowl Game served as the national championship game in2002 and2006. The Rose Bowl stadium and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association hosted theBCS National Championship Game in2010 and2014, in addition to the regular Rose Bowl Game.
In2014, the Rose Bowl, along with the other "New Year's Six" bowls, became a part of theCollege Football Playoff. As part of the four team playoff from 2014 to2023, the Rose Bowl served as a semifinal game in2015,2018, and2021. When not serving as a semifinal, the Rose Bowl featured the best available teams from the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences.
With the expansion of the College Football Playoff to twelve teams in the2024–25 season, the Rose Bowl will serve as either a quarterfinal or semifinal each year. It served as a quarterfinal in2025 and will do so again in2026. When serving as a quarterfinal, the Rose Bowl will host the Big Ten champion, if seeded in the top four. When serving as a semifinal, the game will be played one week after New Year's Day, and, if the Big Ten champion is one of the top two seeds, the team will be assigned to the Rose Bowl.[5]
Originally titled the "Tournament East–West football game",[6] thefirst Rose Bowl was played on January 1, 1902, starting the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games. The football game was added in 1902 to help fund the cost of the Rose Parade.[7] The inaugural game featuredFielding H. Yost's dominating1901 Michigan team, representing the East, which crushed a previously 3–1–2 team fromStanford University, representing the West, by a score of 49–0 after Stanford quit in the third quarter. Michigan finished the season 11–0 and was crowned the national champion. Yost had been Stanford's coach the previous year. The game was so lopsided that for the next thirteen years, the Tournament of Roses officials ran chariot races, ostrich races, and other various events instead of football.[8] But, on New Year's Day1916, football returned to stay as theState College of Washington (now Washington State University) defeatedBrown University in the first of what was thereafter an annual tradition.[9]
Before theRose Bowl was built, games were played in Pasadena'sTournament Park, approximately three miles (5 km) southeast of the current Rose Bowl stadium, near the campus ofCaltech. Tournament Park was found to be unsuitable for the increasingly large crowds gathering to watch the game and a new, permanent home for the game was commissioned.
The Rose Bowl stadium, designed after theYale Bowl in New Haven, hosted its first "Rose Bowl" game on January 1,1923. The name of the stadium was alternatively "Tournament of Roses Stadium" or "Tournament of Roses Bowl", until the name "Rose Bowl" was settled on before the 1923 game.[10]
The stadium seating has been reconfigured several times since its original construction in 1922. For many years, the Rose Bowl stadium had the largest football stadium capacity in the United States, eventually being surpassed byMichigan Stadium in 1998.[11][12] The maximum statedseating capacity was 104,594 from 1972 to 1997. Capacity was lowered after the1998 game; the2006 game, which was also the BCS championship game, attracted a crowd of 93,986; and there were 94,118 spectators at the2011 game between TCU and Wisconsin.[13] As of 2012, the Rose Bowl is number seven on thelist of American football stadiums by capacity with a current officialseating capacity of 92,542 and is still the largest stadium that hosts post-season bowl games.[14] The Rose Bowl is also the only CFP bowl game that is held in a non-NFL stadium.
In the game's early years, except during World War I, the Rose Bowl always pitted a team—not necessarily the conference champion—from thePacific Coast Conference (PCC), the predecessor of the currentPac-12 Conference, against an opponent from the Eastern U.S. During the last two years of World War I, teams from military bases met in the Rose Bowl. During its history, a number of notable matchups have been made with the top football teams and top coaches of the time. These include the1925 game, withKnute Rockne'sNotre Dame and theirFour Horsemen against"Pop" Warner'sStanford; the1926 edition was theAlabama Crimson Tide's win overWashington, and1940 featuredHoward Jones'USC Trojans againstBob Neyland'sTennessee Volunteers. During this period, there were ten games in which undefeated teams were matched.
After the Japaneseattack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and a series of attacks onWest Coast shipping beginning on December 18,[15] there were concerns about a possible Japanese attack on the West Coast. 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 GeneralJohn L. DeWitt recommended that the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl festivities be cancelled.[16][17][18] The Rose Bowl committee originally planned to cancel the game. On December 16, Duke University invited the game and Oregon State to Duke's home stadium inDurham, North Carolina.[19][20] After the 1942 Allied victory in theBattle of Midway and the end of the Japanese offensives in thePacific Theater during 1942, it was deemed that a large portion of the West Coast was no longer vulnerable to attack, and the Rose Bowl Game continued on in the Rose Bowl stadium. TheTournament of Roses parade itself still was not held in 1943 because of the war.[21]
During World War II, many college football schools had dropped some conference opponents and instead played football against local military base teams. Many colleges could not even field teams because of the draft and manpower requirements.[22] After the war was over, demobilization and theG.I. Bill enabled returning servicemen to attend college. The 1946 season was the first true post-war college football season with travel restrictions lifted and civilian college opponents returning to schedules.
The Big Nine and PCC were of the same accord when it came to treating players as amateurs, as compared to the semi-professional status that the Southern Universities proposed. Also, the Big Nine and PCC both had the same attitudes towards desegregation and allowing African-Americans to play football.[23] Many other universities were still segregated. None of theSoutheastern Conference schools had an African American athlete until 1966. The Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, andSugar Bowl would not be integrated until 1948, 1955, and 1956 respectively.[24]
The Big Nine agreed in 1946, after eight years of negotiating over payments, rules, and ticket allocations, to a five-year exclusive deal with the Rose Bowl to send the conference champion to meet the PCC champion.[25] UCLA, USC, Minnesota and Illinois all voted against it.[26] The1947 Rose Bowl, with UCLA meeting Illinois, was the first game under this agreement.
When the PCC dissolved prior to the 1959 season following a pay-for-play scandal in 1958, there was no official agreement in force. The Tournament of Roses selected from the former members of PCC and invitedWashington, the first champion of the newly formedAthletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), to play Big Ten championWisconsin in the1960 Rose Bowl. The Big Ten authorized its members to accept any Rose Bowl invitation at their discretion.
The AAWU signed an agreement with the Rose Bowl that remained in force from the1961 Rose Bowl until the advent of the BCS era in 1998. In 1962, after Minnesota changed its vote against pursuing a new agreement (resolving a 5–5 voting deadlock which had prevented any new negotiations for years), a Big Ten agreement was finalized, which went into effect with the1963 Rose Bowl and lasted until the BCS era.
While the Big Ten supplied the "East" representative and the PCC, AAWU, or Pac-8/10 supplied the "West" representative from the1947 Rose Bowl to the BCS era, an "exclusive" Rose Bowl agreement did not exist throughout this period. In particular, the Big Ten was not part of any agreement for at least the 1961 and 1962 games. In particular, the 1961 Big Ten championOhio State, declined the invitation to play in the1962 game without penalty.[27][28][29]
The AAWU used "Big Five", "Big Six", and "Pacific-8" as unofficial nicknames (each reflecting the number of conference members). It officially adopted the "Pacific-8" name for the 1968 season. The name changed to "Pacific-10" with the arrival ofArizona andArizona State in1978, its last official name change prior to the formation of the BCS in 1998. The Big Ten Conference retained the same name throughout this period, even though it had eleven members by the start of the BCS era because of the addition ofPenn State in 1990.
Both conferences had a "no repeat" rule in force for a number of years. Under this rule, any team that had appeared in the Rose Bowl game the previous season could not go, even if they were the conference champion. The notable exception was Minnesota playing in the1961 and1962 games during the period when the conference agreements were in a state of flux. Second-rankedOhio State did not participate because its faculty council voted it down,[27][28][29] allowingMinnesota to return.[30] The PCC's rule went into effect followingCalifornia's third straight defeat in1951 and ended with conference's disbandment in the summer of 1959; it affected the1955 and1958 games. The Big Ten abolished their rule in 1972; it had recently affected the1966 game.Southern California played in four consecutive Rose Bowl games from1967 to1970;Ohio State played in four straight from1973 to1976.
Both conferences also had "exclusive agreements" with the Rose Bowl game, in the sense that member schools were not allowed to play in any other bowl game. Both conferences abolished this rule before the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. As a result,Michigan andUSC were allowed to play in the1976 Orange Bowl and the 1975Liberty Bowl, respectively.
As of the1998 season, with the creation of theBowl Championship Series (BCS), team selection for the Rose Bowl was tied to the other three BCS bowls, although in any given year the Rose Bowl still attempted, if possible, to maintain the traditional Pac-10 (Pac-12 after the addition ofUtah andColorado in 2011) versus Big Ten format (though if the champion from either or both conference was ranked BCS #1 or #2, they were allowed into the national championship game and were replaced by another team, typically from the same conference as the team being replaced). Twice in this era, the Rose Bowl had served as the BCS championship game.
The2002 game served as the BCS championship game between the BCS No. 1–rankedMiami, then a member of theBig East Conference, and the BCS No. 2–rankedNebraska, then a member of theBig 12 Conference. The Nebraska selection as the BCS No. 2 team was controversial becauseOregon was ranked No. 2 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, while Nebraska was ranked No. 4 in both polls and did not play in its conference championship game (No. 3 Colorado, who would play Oregon in that year'sFiesta Bowl, did and won the Big 12's automatic bid to the BCS). This prevented a West Coast team playing in the Rose Bowl for the first time, and it also marked the first matchup since 1946 not to feature the traditional pairing of Pac-10 vs. Big Ten teams.
The2006 Rose Bowl game featured offensive powerhousesTexas, riding a 19-game winning streak, andUSC, which entered the game with a 34-game winning streak and twoHeisman Trophy winners. Texas won 41–38. The game had a television viewership of 35.6 million,[31] the highest for college football contest since the1987 Fiesta Bowl betweenPenn State andMiami.
On two other occasions during the BCS era, Rose Bowl participation had expanded beyond the Big Ten and Pac-10. The2003 Rose Bowl couldn't select Big Ten co-champion and automatic qualifier Ohio State, who finished No. 2 in the BCS and thus received a bid to theFiesta Bowl to play for the national championship. The Rose Bowl was poised to select Big Ten co-champion Iowa as an at-large in order to preserve the traditional Big Ten/Pac-10 match up. However, theOrange Bowl, which selected ahead of the Rose Bowl that year, chose the Hawkeyes. As a result, the Rose Bowl featured the first appearance byOklahoma, who faced Pac-10 ChampionWashington State. The 2005 game featuredTexas of theBig 12 Conference, selected, amid some controversy, overCalifornia of the Pac-10, marking the second time a West Coast team did not make the Rose Bowl. The controversy was the result of the BCS computer rankings which elevated Texas over California. Texas went on to defeat Michigan in the 2005 game, featuring a four-touchdown performance byVince Young, foreshadowing his 467-yard performance a year later in the 2006 defeat of USC that won the National Title for Texas.
The2004 game is also noteworthy. In this game,USC defeated Michigan, 28–14, thus earning the top ranking in theAP Poll and a share of the national championship with BCS championLSU. USC, despite being No. 1 in the AP poll, did not qualify for the BCS championship game because of their standing in the BCS system.
The second BCS-era Rose Bowl arrangement ran from 2004 through 2014. The Big Ten and Pac-12 (the new name of the Pac-10) retained their bids, but a provision was inserted mandating that the first time that either conference could not fill their bid (because a school from the Big Ten or Pac-12 qualifies for the BCS National Championship Game), and if a non-BCS conference school qualified, the Rose Bowl was required to take that school.[32] As a result, Texas Christian University (TCU) became the first team from a non-automatic qualifying conference to play in the Rose Bowl in the BCS era. The2010 TCU Horned Frogs finished their second consecutive regular season at 12–0, were back-to-back champions of theMountain West Conference, and ranked No. 3 in the final BCS Poll. TCU defeated No. 5Wisconsin 21–19 in the2011 Rose Bowl. TCU's appearance satisfied the 'first time' clause of the agreement.
The100th Rose Bowl Game featured a traditional pairing of Big Ten champion versus Pac-12 champion, withMichigan State playing againstStanford on January 1, 2014. Michigan State won the game, 24–20.
The Bowl Championship Series format ended with the2014 BCS National Championship Game, played at the Rose Bowl Stadium on January 6.
The BCS was replaced by theCollege Football Playoff (CFP) in 2014, seeding four teams into two national semifinal games, leading to a championship game. As part of the arrangement, the Rose Bowl game was selected as a semifinal playoff game every three years. In years when the Rose Bowl is not part of the playoff, it takes the Pac-12 and Big Ten champions, unless one or both teams qualify for the playoff, in which case they are replaced by an alternate team from the same conference.
The first game under the new arrangement was played on January 1, 2015, and was known as theCollege Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual. It featured theOregon Ducks of the Pac-12 Conference and theFlorida State Seminoles, the firstAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) team to participate in the Rose Bowl. Oregon defeated Florida State, 59–20, ending the Seminoles' 29-game winning streak, which dated back to the end of the 2012 season. As a result, Oregon advanced to the2015 CFP National Championship played on January 12. The 59 points were a new Rose Bowl Game scoring record for a team.
The2016 Rose Bowl featured Pac-12 champions Stanford against Big Ten West Division champions Iowa. Stanford defeated Iowa, 45–16, scoring 35 points in the first half, the most points ever scored in the first half of a Rose Bowl. The2017 Rose Bowl featured Penn State of the Big Ten and USC of the Pac-12. Penn State set a record for the most points score by alosing team in a Rose Bowl, as USC won, 52–49.
In the2018 Rose Bowl, the Georgia Bulldogs (12–1) defeated the Oklahoma Sooners (12–1), 54–48, in double overtime in a semifinal playoff game to advance to the2018 CFP National Championship game. It was the first Rose Bowl game to go into overtime. The2024 Rose Bowl, also a semifinal playoff game, became the second Rose Bowl game requiring overtime, as Michigan (13–0) defeated Alabama (12–1), 27–20.
In early December 2020, it was announced that the 2021 Rose Bowl, a CFP semifinal game, would be contestedbehind closed doors without fans, due toCalifornia GovernorGavin Newsom's orders in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic in California.[33] This was met with criticism,[34] including fromNotre Dame head coachBrian Kelly, who wanted players' families to be allowed to attend.[35] On December 19, it was reported that a request by the Tournament of Roses to the State of California, requesting a special exemption to allow some fans to attend, was denied.[36] Later that day, the CFP announced that the semifinal game would be moved from Pasadena toAT&T Stadium inArlington, Texas.[37] It was not immediately clear if the game would still be called the Rose Bowl.[38] A press release from the Pasadena Tournament of Roses stated:[39]
On December 30, the City of Pasadena and the Tournament of Roses announced that the game in Arlington could use the Rose Bowl name.[40] The only prior instance of the game being played outside of Pasadena was the1942 edition.[36]
From 1947 to 2024, the Rose Bowl Game traditionally hosted conference champions from theBig Ten andPac-12, or the champions of their predecessors. Starting in 2002, the Rose Bowl Game occasionally deviated from its traditional matchups for use in "national championship" systems. In2002 and2006 (the games following the 2001 and 2005 seasons), under theBowl Championship Series (BCS) system, the Rose Bowl was designated as its championship game, and hosted the top two teams determined by the BCS system. In2010,TCU of theMountain West was selected to fill Oregon's spot in the Bowl, to maintain the traditional "East v. West" matchup. As of the 2014 season, the Rose Bowl became part of theCollege Football Playoff (CFP) as one of theNew Year's Six bowls—the top six major bowl games in the national championship system—hosting one of the semifinal games every three years. During non-CFP years, the Rose Bowl reverted to its traditional Pac-12/Big Ten matchup, unless the champions from those conferences were selected to play in the CFP.
Beginning in the 2024 season, when the CFP expanded to 12 teams, the Rose Bowl Game is designated to host a quarterfinal or semifinal, along with the other New Year's Six bowls on a rotating basis. When the Rose Bowl hosts a quarterfinal, the CFP selection committee will assign the Big Ten champion to the bowl if it is one of the top four conference champions in the final poll. Once every three years, the Rose Bowl will be played as a semifinal game one week after New Year's Day. If the Big Ten champion is one of the top two seeds, they will be assigned to the Rose Bowl.[41] During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the Pac-12 champion cannot qualify for the playoff as one of the top four seeds due to the conference only having two teams; as such, the Rose Bowl cannot be guaranteed a Pac-12 team.
For many years the Rose Bowl eschewed sponsorship, but in1999, it became "The Rose Bowl Game presented byAT&T." Unlike the other bowl games, the sponsor was not added to the title of the game, but instead as a presenter.[43] In 2002 it was branded The Rose Bowl Game presented byPlayStation 2. From 2003 to 2010, after the agreement withSony expired, the game was presented byCiti.
In June 2010, Citi decided to end sponsorship of the Rose Bowl games, including the National Championship game.[44] In October 2010,HDTV makerVizio signed a 4-year contract to be the official sponsor of the Rose Bowl games through 2014.[45][46] After Vizio declined to renew sponsorship in 2014, financial services giantNorthwestern Mutual became the new presenting sponsor.[47] From 2015 to 2020, the game was sponsored byNorthwestern Mutual and officially known as theRose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual.[48][49]
The 2021 edition, sponsored byCapital One, was officially known as theRose Bowl Game presented by Capital One.[50] As the sponsor of the2021 Orange Bowl, Capital One became the first company to sponsor twoNew Year's Six bowls. Capital One continued their sponsorship of the game, with the 2022 edition officially being named theRose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X after the company's travel rewards credit card.[51]
Prudential Financial became the new sponsor of the Rose Bowl in 2023 and will continue until the 2026 game.[52]
The Rose Bowl was first televised in1947 on W6XYZ,[53] an experimental station in Los Angeles that would eventually becomeKTLA.[54] The1952 game was the first nationally televised bowl game and the first nationally televised college game of any sport.[55] From 1952 to1988,[56] the Rose Bowl was televised byNBC at 2 p.m.PST, and in most years was the only New Year's Day bowl airing at that time. The 1956 Rose Bowl has the highest TV rating of all college bowl games, watched by 41.1% of all people in the US with TV sets.[57] The1962 game was the first college football game broadcast in color. Television ratings for the Rose Bowl declined as the number of bowl games increased.[57] The other bowl games also provided more compelling match-ups, with higher-ranked teams.[57] In 1988, NBC gave up the broadcast rights, as the television share dropped in 1987 below 20.[57]
From1989 to2010, the game was broadcast onABC, usually at 2 p.m. PST.[57] The first 9-year contract in 1988 started at about $11 million, which is what NBC had been paying.[57] The2002 Rose Bowl was the first broadcast not set at the traditional 2:00pm West Coast time.[58] The visual of the afternoon sun setting on theSan Gabriel Mountains on New Year's Day is recognized as an important part of the tradition of the game.[59][60]
The2005 edition was the first one broadcast inHDTV. Beginning in 2007,Fox had the broadcast rights to the otherBowl Championship Series games, but the Rose Bowl, which negotiated its own television contract independent of the BCS, had agreed to keep the game on ABC.Beginning with the 2010 season,ESPN (majority-owned by ABC's parent company,The Walt Disney Company) now broadcasts all the BCS/CFP games, including the Rose Bowl game.[61][62] The game is also broadcast nationally byESPN Radio and by ESPN International for Latin America. In 2013,ESPN Deportes provided the first Spanish language telecast in the U.S. of the Rose Bowl Game.[63]
The Rose Bowl game contract with ESPN was extended on June 28, 2012, to 2026, for a reported $80 million per year.[64][65]
Winners appear in boldface whileitalics denote a tie game.
All rankings are taken from theAP poll (inaugurated in1936, prior to the1937 Rose Bowl) before each game was played.
| Date played | West / Pac-12 | East / Big Ten | Attendance | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1902 | Stanford | 0 | Michigan | 49 | 8,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1916 | Washington State | 14 | Brown | 0 | 7,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1917 | Oregon | 14 | Penn | 0 | 26,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1918[c] | Mare Island – USMC | 19 | Camp Lewis – US Army | 7 | 25,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1919[c] | Mare Island – USMC | 0 | Great Lakes – US Navy | 17 | 25,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1920 | Oregon | 6 | Harvard | 7 | 30,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1921 | California | 28 | Ohio State | 0 | 42,000 | notes |
| January 2, 1922 | California | 0 | Washington & Jefferson | 0 | 40,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1923 | USC | 14 | Penn State | 3 | 43,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1924 | Washington | 14 | Navy | 14 | 40,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1925 | Stanford | 10 | Notre Dame | 27 | 53,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1926 | Washington | 19 | Alabama | 20 | 50,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1927 | Stanford | 7 | Alabama | 7 | 57,417 | notes |
| January 2, 1928 | Stanford | 7 | Pittsburgh | 6 | 65,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1929 | California | 7 | Georgia Tech | 8 | 66,604 | notes |
| January 1, 1930 | USC | 47 | Pittsburgh | 14 | 72,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1931 | Washington State | 0 | Alabama | 24 | 60,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1932 | USC | 21 | Tulane | 12 | 75,562 | notes |
| January 2, 1933 | USC | 35 | Pittsburgh | 0 | 78,874 | notes |
| January 1, 1934 | Stanford | 0 | Columbia | 7 | 35,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1935 | Stanford | 13 | Alabama | 29 | 84,474 | notes |
| January 1, 1936 | Stanford | 7 | SMU | 0 | 84,474 | notes |
| January 1, 1937 | #5Washington | 0 | #3Pittsburgh | 21 | 87,196 | notes |
| January 1, 1938 | #2California | 13 | #4Alabama | 0 | 90,000 | notes |
| January 2, 1939 | #7USC | 7 | #3Duke | 3 | 89,452 | notes |
| January 1, 1940 | #3USC | 14 | #2Tennessee | 0 | 92,200 | notes |
| January 1, 1941 | #2Stanford | 21 | #7Nebraska | 13 | 91,500 | notes |
| January 1, 1942 | #12Oregon State | 20 | #2Duke | 16 | 56,000[a] | notes |
| January 1, 1943 | #13UCLA | 0 | #2Georgia | 9 | 93,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1944 | USC | 29 | #12Washington | 0 | 68,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1945 | #7USC | 25 | #12Tennessee | 0 | 91,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1946 | #11USC | 14 | #3Alabama | 34 | 93,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1947 | #4UCLA | 14 | #5Illinois | 45 | 90,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1948 | #8USC | 0 | #2Michigan | 49 | 93,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1949 | #4California | 14 | #7Northwestern | 20 | 93,000 | notes |
| January 2, 1950 | #3California | 14 | #6Ohio State | 17 | 100,963 | notes |
| January 1, 1951 | #5California | 6 | #9Michigan | 14 | 98,939 | notes |
| January 1, 1952 | #7Stanford | 7 | #4Illinois | 40 | 96,825 | notes |
| January 1, 1953 | #5USC | 7 | #11Wisconsin | 0 | 101,500 | notes |
| January 1, 1954 | #5UCLA | 20 | #3Michigan State | 28 | 101,000 | notes |
| January 1, 1955 | #17USC | 7 | #1Ohio State | 20 | 89,191 | notes |
| January 2, 1956 | #4UCLA | 14 | #2Michigan State | 17 | 100,809 | notes |
| January 1, 1957 | #10Oregon State | 19 | #3Iowa | 35 | 97,126 | notes |
| January 1, 1958 | Oregon | 7 | #2Ohio State | 10 | 98,202 | notes |
| January 1, 1959 | #16California | 12 | #2Iowa | 38 | 98,297 | notes |
| January 1, 1960 | #8Washington | 44 | #6Wisconsin | 8 | 100,809 | notes |
| January 2, 1961 | #6Washington | 17 | #1Minnesota | 7 | 97,314 | notes |
| January 1, 1962 | #16UCLA | 3 | #6Minnesota | 21 | 98,214 | notes |
| January 1, 1963 | #1USC | 42 | #2Wisconsin | 37 | 98,698 | notes |
| January 1, 1964 | Washington | 7 | #3Illinois | 17 | 96,957 | notes |
| January 1, 1965 | #8Oregon State | 7 | #4Michigan | 34 | 100,423 | notes |
| January 1, 1966 | #5UCLA | 14 | #1Michigan State | 12 | 100,087 | notes |
| January 2, 1967 | USC | 13 | #7Purdue | 14 | 100,807 | notes |
| January 1, 1968 | #1USC | 14 | #4Indiana | 3 | 102,946 | notes |
| January 1, 1969 | #2USC | 16 | #1Ohio State | 27 | 102,063 | notes |
| January 1, 1970 | #5USC | 10 | #7Michigan | 3 | 103,878 | notes |
| January 1, 1971 | #12Stanford | 27 | #2Ohio State | 17 | 103,839 | notes |
| January 1, 1972 | #16Stanford | 13 | #4Michigan | 12 | 103,154 | notes |
| January 1, 1973 | #1USC | 42 | #3Ohio State | 17 | 106,869 | notes |
| January 1, 1974 | #7USC | 21 | #4Ohio State | 42 | 105,267 | notes |
| January 1, 1975 | #5USC | 18 | #3Ohio State | 17 | 106,721 | notes |
| January 1, 1976 | #11UCLA | 23 | #1Ohio State | 10 | 105,464 | notes |
| January 1, 1977 | #3USC | 14 | #2Michigan | 6 | 106,182 | notes |
| January 2, 1978 | #13Washington | 27 | #4Michigan | 20 | 105,312 | notes |
| January 1, 1979 | #3USC | 17 | #5Michigan | 10 | 105,629 | notes |
| January 1, 1980 | #3USC | 17 | #1Ohio State | 16 | 105,526 | notes |
| January 1, 1981 | #16Washington | 6 | #5Michigan | 23 | 104,863 | notes |
| January 1, 1982 | #12Washington | 28 | #13Iowa | 0 | 105,611 | notes |
| January 1, 1983 | #5UCLA | 24 | #19Michigan | 14 | 104,991 | notes |
| January 2, 1984 | UCLA | 45 | #4Illinois | 9 | 103,217 | notes |
| January 1, 1985 | #18USC | 20 | #6Ohio State | 17 | 102,594 | notes |
| January 1, 1986 | #13UCLA | 45 | #4Iowa | 28 | 103,292 | notes |
| January 1, 1987 | #7Arizona State | 22 | #4Michigan | 15 | 103,168 | notes |
| January 1, 1988 | #16USC | 17 | #8Michigan State | 20 | 103,847 | notes |
| January 2, 1989 | #5USC | 14 | #11Michigan | 22 | 101,688 | notes |
| January 1, 1990 | #12USC | 17 | #3Michigan | 10 | 103,450 | notes |
| January 1, 1991 | #8Washington | 46 | #17Iowa | 34 | 101,273 | notes |
| January 1, 1992 | #2Washington | 34 | #4Michigan | 14 | 103,566 | notes |
| January 1, 1993 | #9Washington | 31 | #7Michigan | 38 | 94,236 | notes |
| January 1, 1994 | #14UCLA | 16 | #9Wisconsin | 21 | 101,237 | notes |
| January 2, 1995 | #12Oregon | 20 | #2Penn State | 38 | 102,247 | notes |
| January 1, 1996 | #17USC | 41 | #3Northwestern | 32 | 100,102 | notes |
| January 1, 1997 | #2Arizona State | 17 | #4Ohio State | 20 | 100,635 | notes |
| January 1, 1998 | #8Washington State | 16 | #1Michigan | 21 | 101,219 | notes |
| January 1, 1999 | #6UCLA | 31 | #9Wisconsin | 38 | 93,872 | notes |
| January 1, 2000 | #22Stanford | 9 | #4Wisconsin | 17 | 93,731 | notes |
| January 1, 2001 | #4Washington | 34 | #14Purdue | 24 | 94,392 | notes |
| January 3, 2002BCS | #4Nebraska | 14 | #1Miami (FL) | 37 | 93,781 | notes |
| January 1, 2003 | #7Washington State | 14 | #8Oklahoma | 34 | 86,848 | notes |
| January 1, 2004 | #1USC | 28 | #4Michigan | 14 | 93,849 | notes |
| January 1, 2005 | #6Texas | 38 | #13Michigan | 37 | 93,468 | notes |
| January 4, 2006BCS | #1USC | 38 | #2Texas | 41 | 93,986 | notes |
| January 1, 2007 | #8USC | 32 | #3Michigan | 18 | 93,852 | notes |
| January 1, 2008 | #6USC | 49 | #13Illinois | 17 | 93,923 | notes |
| January 1, 2009 | #5USC | 38 | #6Penn State | 24 | 93,293 | notes |
| January 1, 2010 | #7Oregon | 17 | #8Ohio State | 26 | 93,963 | notes |
| January 1, 2011 | #3TCU | 21 | #4Wisconsin | 19 | 94,118 | notes |
| January 2, 2012 | #6Oregon | 45 | #9Wisconsin | 38 | 91,245 | notes |
| January 1, 2013 | #8Stanford | 20 | #23Wisconsin | 14 | 93,359 | notes |
| January 1, 2014 | #5Stanford | 20 | #4Michigan State | 24 | 95,173 | notes |
| January 1, 2015SF | #3Oregon | 59 | #2Florida State | 20 | 91,322 | notes |
| January 1, 2016 | #5Stanford | 45 | #6Iowa | 16 | 94,268 | notes |
| January 2, 2017 | #9USC | 52 | #5Penn State | 49 | 95,128 | notes |
| January 1, 2018SF | #2Oklahoma | 48(2OT) | #3Georgia | 54 | 92,844 | notes |
| January 1, 2019 | #9Washington | 23 | #5Ohio State | 28 | 91,853 | notes |
| January 1, 2020 | #7Oregon | 28 | #11Wisconsin | 27 | 90,462 | notes |
| January 1, 2021SF | #1Alabama | 31 | #4Notre Dame | 14 | 18,373[b] | notes |
| January 1, 2022 | #10Utah | 45 | #7Ohio State | 48 | 87,842 | notes |
| January 2, 2023 | #7Utah | 21 | #9Penn State | 35 | 94,873 | notes |
| January 1, 2024SF | #5Alabama | 20(OT) | #1Michigan | 27 | 96,371 | notes |
| January 1, 2025QF | #1Oregon | 21 | #6Ohio State | 41 | 90,732 | notes |
Source:[66]
The below tables list results by teams competing as members of the Big Ten Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and all other participants. Included in Pac-12 results are teams who competed as a member of thePacific Coast Conference, Pacific-8 Conference, or Pacific-10 Conference—predecessors of the Pac-12. One team, Oregon, has appearances both as a member of the Pac-12 (or its predecessors) and as a member of the Big Ten.
Updated through the January 2025 edition (111 games, 222 total appearances).
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† Some teams who are members of the Pac-12 and Big Ten made appearances while not members; thus, the following results are included in the "Other teams" table:
‡ The Southeastern Conference has three current members and two former members who made additional appearances in the Rose Bowl while those schools were not members of the SEC. Alabama made additional appearances in 1926, 1927, and 1931 before becoming a charter member of the SEC in 1932. Oklahoma made appearances in 2003 and 2018 before joining the SEC in 2024. Texas made appearances in 2005 and 2006 before joining the SEC in 2024. Another SEC charter member, Georgia Tech, made an appearance in 1929 and left the SEC in 1964. Tulane, also a charter member, made an appearance in 1932, prior to the SEC's establishment in December of that year. Tulane left the SEC in 1966.
Current Big Ten teams Maryland and Rutgers have never appeared in the Rose Bowl. Nebraska has appeared twice but never as a member of the Big Ten. In 2024, as part of adissolution of the Pac-12, the Big Ten gained four teams that have represented the Pac-12 and its predecessors in the Rose Bowl numerous times: Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington.
If there are any Big Ten teams that shoot for a national championship, they're damn fools ... You play to win the Big Ten championship, and if you win it and go to the Rose Bowl and win it, then you've had a great season.
— Bo Schembechler of Michigan, July 1989[67]
Among Pac-8/10/12 and Big Ten schools, the record for longest drought since a team's last Rose Bowl appearance is held by California (1959), followed by Minnesota (1962), Oregon State (1965), and Indiana (1968).
Among Pac-8/10/12 and Big Ten schools who have played in at least one Rose Bowl, the record for the longest period since a win is held jointly by Indiana and Nebraska, who have never won, followed by Washington State (1916), Cal (1939), Oregon State (1942), Northwestern (1949), and Iowa (1959). As of 2016, head coachesHoward Jones (5–0) andJohn Robinson (4–0) lead the list of undefeated Rose Bowl records.[68]
Archie Griffin ofOhio State andBrian Cushing ofUSC are the only players to ever start in four Rose Bowl games. Head coachWoody Hayes led Ohio State to the Rose Bowl from 1973 to 1976, while USC head coachPete Carroll led the Trojans to the Rose Bowl from 2006 to 2009.
The current members of thePac-12 or theBig Ten to have not appeared in the Rose Bowl areMaryland andRutgers,[69] who both joined the Big Ten in 2014. Former Pac-12 membersArizona (who joined the then-Pac-10 in 1978) andColorado (who joined the Pac-12 in 2011) have never appeared in the Rose Bowl,[69] both having left the Pac-12 in 2024. Former Pac-12 memberCalifornia appeared in the Rose Bowl only as a member of apredecessor league to thePac-12. Similar to Cal,Nebraska played in the1941 and2002 games, but was not a member of the Big Ten Conference at these times.Idaho andMontana, who were members of the Pacific Coast Conference from 1922 until 1958 and 1950 respectively, never finished near the top in the PCC football standings. Former Big Ten memberChicago withdrew from the league prior to the bowl arrangement being set.
USC has played the most Big Ten schools in the Rose Bowl. As of 2024, the only Big Ten opponents remaining for the Trojans are Iowa, Minnesota, and the schools that have never represented the conference in the Rose Bowl: Maryland, Nebraska, Rutgers, Oregon, UCLA, and Washington. Ohio State and Michigan are tied for playing the most current or former Pac-12 schools in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes have not played Oregon State or Washington State in the game, while Michigan has never played Oregon or Utah. Neither team has faced Arizona or Colorado, as these teams have never appeared in the game.
The most frequent Rose Bowl matchup is USC–Michigan, occurring for the eighth time in 2007, with USC holding a 6–2 advantage (including rare meetings outside the Rose Bowl, USC leads this series 6–5). The next most frequent matchup is USC–Ohio State, occurring for the seventh time in 1985, with USC holding a 4–3 advantage.
Matchups that have occurred more than once:
| # of Times | West / Pac-12 | East / Big Ten | Record | Years played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | USC | Michigan | USC, 6–2 | 1948, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1989, 1990, 2004, 2007 |
| 7 | USC | Ohio State | USC, 4–3 | 1955, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1985 |
| 4 | Washington | Michigan | Tied, 2–2 | 1978, 1981, 1992, 1993 |
| 3 | Oregon | Ohio State | Ohio State, 3–0 | 1958, 2010, 2025† |
| 3 | USC | Penn State | USC, 3–0 | 1923, 2009, 2017 |
| 3 | UCLA | Michigan State | Michigan State, 2–1 | 1954, 1956, 1966 |
| 2 | Stanford | Michigan | Tied, 1–1 | 1902, 1972 |
| 2 | California | Ohio State | Tied, 1–1 | 1921, 1950 |
| 2 | Stanford | Alabama | Alabama, 1–0–1 | 1927, 1935 |
| 2 | USC | Pittsburgh | USC, 2–0 | 1930, 1933 |
| 2 | USC | Tennessee | USC, 2–0 | 1940, 1945 |
| 2 | UCLA | Illinois | Tied, 1–1 | 1947, 1984 |
| 2 | USC | Wisconsin | USC, 2–0 | 1953, 1963 |
| 2 | Washington | Iowa | Washington, 2–0 | 1982, 1991 |
| 2 | UCLA | Wisconsin | Wisconsin, 2–0 | 1994, 1999 |
| 2 | Stanford | Wisconsin | Tied, 1–1 | 2000, 2013 |
| 2 | Oregon | Wisconsin | Oregon, 2–0 | 2012, 2020 |
† Scheduled for January 1, 2025
No. 1 ranked teams at the end of the regular season that have played in the Rose Bowl game are listed below:
Of the 26bowl rematches of regular season games, six have taken place in the Rose Bowl. In three of those instances, the same team won both the regular season game and the Rose Bowl Game. UCLA won three of those five Rose Bowl games, including both instances in which a different team lost the regular season game but won the Rose Bowl Game.
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Beginning with the1947 Rose Bowl, the Pacific Coast representative was the home team, and the Big Nine representative was the visitor. This arrangement would alternate each year. The stadium seating started with the Big Nine representatives in the end zone, but eventually was set with the Big Ten fans and team on the West (press box) side, and Pacific-10 fans and team on the East side. The home team wears their darkest home jerseys, and the visiting team wears the white visiting jerseys. There have been exceptions to the uniform arrangement: UCLA wore their home jerseys, light blue, in the 1962, 1966, and 1976 Rose Bowl games, with the Big Ten opponent also wearing their home uniforms.
From 1947 through 2001, the Big Ten team was the home team in even-numbered years (concluding seasons that took place in odd-numbered years), and the Pac-10 team was the home team in odd-numbered years (concluding seasons that took place in even-numbered years). In 2003, Washington State was the home team but faced a non-Big Ten or Pac-10 school (Oklahoma of the Big 12) due to BCS selections that season. In 2005, Michigan served as the home team as a result of playing a Big 12 school, Texas, rather than a Pac-10 opponent.
Beginning with the 2002 Rose Bowl, Nebraska was home, with team and fans on the East sideline. From 2006 through 2013, the home team had been the team with the highest BCS season ending ranking. For the 2005 Rose Bowl, the Michigan team was on the East sideline; Texas was the visiting team and was on the West sideline. For the 2006 Rose Bowl, USC was the home team and Texas was the visiting team on the West sideline. Traditionally, the Big Ten (or its BCS replacement) is on the West side (press box) and the Pac-12 team is on the East side.
During the BCS era, the institution with the higher BCS ranking performed the national anthem, and performed first at halftime. With the exception of BCS championship years, the National Anthem was performed by the band. In BCS Championship years, a performer was invited to sing the Anthem, the last beingLeAnn Rimes in 2006. The Rose Bowl does not have other performers (including notable recording artists) during the halftime show besides the school marching bands. As part of the television contract, a portion of each band's halftime performance is shown on television. Each school and each conference are allocated television spots to advertise. For the 100th game on January 1, 2014,Merry Clayton,Lisa Fischer,Judith Hill andDarlene Love sang the national anthem in honor of the song's 200th anniversary. This was the first time in Rose Bowl history that the anthem was performed by singers rather than by a marching band.[70] Today, the institution with the higher ranking by the CFP selection committee performs the national anthem and performs first at halftime.
The coin toss was traditionally presented by the grand marshal of theRose Parade or the president of thePasadena Tournament of Roses Association (if the grand marshal was unable to attend the game).
The Rose Bowl's most valuable player is presented thePlayer of the Game award.[71] TheHelms Athletic Foundation created the honor, which was first awarded in the 1940s.[72] Helms executive director Bill Schroeder polled a Helms Hall Board composed ofsportswriters to make the selection.[72][71] The modern award selection continues to be made in collaboration with the national media covering the game.[71]
Player of the Game honors were also awarded retroactively back to the1902 Rose Bowl.[72][71]
Occasionally, the award has been shared by two players. Four players have been named the Player of the Game of more than one Rose Bowl:Bob Schloredt, Washington (1960, 1961),Charles White, USC (1979, 1980),Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (1999, 2000), andVince Young, Texas (2005, 2006).
Beginning with the2005 Rose Bowl, Player of the Game awards have been given to both an offensive and defensive player.
| Team | Performance vs. opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Most points scored | 59, Oregon vs. Florida State (20) | 2015 |
| Most points scored (losing team) | 49, Penn State vs. USC (52) | 2017 |
| Most points scored (both teams) | 102, Georgia (54) vs. Oklahoma (48) | 2018 |
| Most points scored in a half | 41 (second half), Oregon vs. Florida State | 2015 |
| Most points scored in a half (both teams) | 56, shared by: (first half), Oregon vs. Wisconsin | 2012 2022 |
| Fewest points allowed | 0, Washington vs. Iowa (tied with 17 others) | 1982 |
| Largest margin of victory | 49, shared by: Michigan (49) vs. Stanford (0) Michigan (49) vs. USC (0) | 1902 1948 |
| First downs | 33, USC vs Penn State | 2017 |
| Rushing yards | 503, Michigan vs. Stanford | 1902 |
| Passing yards | 573, Ohio State vs. Utah | 2022 |
| Total yards | 683, Ohio State vs. Utah | 2022 |
| Individual | Performance, team vs. opponent | Year |
| Total offense | 583,C. J. Stroud, Ohio State vs Utah | 2022 |
| Touchdowns | 6,C. J. Stroud, Ohio State vs Utah | 2022 |
| Rushing yards | 247,Charles White, USC vs. Ohio State (39 attempts, 1 TD) | 1980 |
| Rushing TDs | 5,Neil Snow, Michigan vs. Stanford | 1902 |
| Passing yards | 573,C. J. Stroud, Ohio State vs Utah (37-46-1, 6 TD) | 2022 |
| Passing TDs | 6,C. J. Stroud, Ohio State vs Utah | 2022 |
| Receptions | 15,Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State vs Utah | 2022 |
| Receiving yards | 347,Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State vs Utah | 2022 |
| Receiving TDs | 3,Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State vs Utah (tied with 3 others) | 2022 |
| All-purpose Yards | 368,Christian McCaffrey, Stanford vs. Iowa | 2016 |
| Tackles | 17,John Boyett, Oregon vs. Wisconsin (tied with 1 other) | 2012 |
| Sacks | 3, Kenny Rowe, Oregon vs. Ohio State (tied with 3 others) | 2010 |
| Interceptions | 3, Bill Paulman, Stanford vs. SMU (tied with 1 other) | 1936 |
| Long plays | Performance, team vs. opponent | Year |
| Touchdown run | 91,De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon vs. Wisconsin | 2012 |
| Touchdown pass | 88,Sean Clifford to KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Penn State vs. Utah | 2023 |
| Kickoff return | 103, Al Hoisch, UCLA vs. Illinois (TD) | 1947 |
| Punt return | 86, Aramis Dandoy, USC vs. Ohio State (TD) | 1955 |
| Interception return | 78,Elmer Layden, Notre Dame vs. Stanford (TD) | 1925 |
| Fumble return | 58,Tony Washington, Oregon vs. Florida State (TD) | 2015 |
| Punt | 73,Don Bracken, Michigan vs. Washington | 1981 |
| Field goal | 55,Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia vs. Oklahoma | 2018 |
Note: When there is a tie, the most recent one will be listed.
Inductees (by year)[77]
The Rose Bowl Game All-Century Class was announced on December 28, 2013.[83]
They are:
In addition to being named as All-Century representatives for their respective decades, John McKay and Archie Griffin were named the 100th Rose Bowl Game All-Century Coach and Player respectively.
The finalists:
Instead, the "Granddaddy of Them All" will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the NFL's Cowboys, on Jan. 1. The move was announced the same day it was reported that Rose Bowl organizers were denied a special exception by the state of California to allow fans into the stadium. The Tournament of Roses announced in early December that the game would be held without spectators.
the CFP semifinal game previously scheduled to be played at the Rose Bowl Stadium will now be played at AT&T Stadium in Dallas
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34°09′40″N118°10′05″W / 34.161°N 118.168°W /34.161; -118.168