The 1944 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1944, was a college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 bowl game

Bowl game

In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...

, the 30th Rose Bowl Game. The game featured two teams from the Pacific Coast Conference

Pacific Coast Conference

The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...

, due to the travel restrictions imposed by the war effort

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. This game determines the champion of the Pacific Coast Conference for the 1943 college football season

1943 college football season

The 1943 college football season concluded with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame crowned as the nation’s #1 team by a majority of the voters in the AP poll, followed by the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks as the runner-up...

. The USC Trojans defeated the Washington Huskies

Washington Huskies football

College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...

 29-0 in a one-sided game.

The favored Washington Huskies team had a record of four wins and no losses in its abbreviated season, without any Pacific Conference games. Their opponents were Whitman College

Whitman College

Whitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...

, the Spokane Air Command

Fairchild Air Force Base

Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...

, the March Field Flyers, and again against the Spokane Air Command.

The USC quarterback, Jim Hardy

Jim Hardy

James Fred Hardy is a retired American football quarterback.-High school career:Hardy attended and played high school football at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.-Professional career:...

, threw three touchdown passes to lead the Trojans. This victory was the Trojan's seventh Rose Bowl victory and also gave them their Pacific Coast Conference

Pacific Coast Conference

The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...

 Championship. For the first time, the Rose Bowl was broadcast on the radio

Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

 abroad to all American servicemen, with General Eisenhower in Western Europe allowing all troops who were not on the front lines to tune in and listen.

Third Quarter

• USC – Callanan, 10-yard pass from Hardy (Jamison kick good)
• USC – Gordon Gray, 21-yard pass from Hardy (Jamison kick blocked)

Fourth Quarter

• USC – Gray, 36-yard pass from Bell (Jamison kick good)
• USC – Austin’s kick blocked and recovered by Akins in the end zone for a safety