1974 Rose Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1974 Rose Bowl was a college football
bowl game
played on January 1, 1974. It was the 60th Rose Bowl Game
. The Ohio State Buckeyes
defeated the USC Trojans 42–21.
on offense and a defense that held its opponents to less than 100 yards per game of total offense
. The only blemish on the Buckeyes’ record was a season-ending 10-10 tie against #4 ranked archrival Michigan
, who also went undefeated; with the teams tying for the Big Ten Conference
championship, the league’s athletic directors were forced to hold an unprecedented vote to determine which school would represent the league in the Rose Bowl. Michigan's quarterback, Dennis Franklin
, had broken his collarbone during the game. Perhaps influenced by the injury, the athletic directors voted 6-4 to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl.
had wins over Arkansas
, Georgia Tech, Oregon State, Washington State
, Oregon
, Cal, Stanford
, Washington
, and UCLA
. The Trojans tied Oklahoma
7-7 and lost to Notre Dame
23-14. USC
scored 301 while allowed 160 points.
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...
played on January 1, 1974. It was the 60th Rose Bowl Game
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
. The Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
defeated the USC Trojans 42–21.
Ohio State Buckeyes
During the ’73 regular season, the Buckeyes went undefeated, led by tailback Archie GriffinArchie Griffin
Archie Mason Griffin is a former American football running back. Griffin played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. He is college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner...
on offense and a defense that held its opponents to less than 100 yards per game of total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
. The only blemish on the Buckeyes’ record was a season-ending 10-10 tie against #4 ranked archrival Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
, who also went undefeated; with the teams tying for the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship, the league’s athletic directors were forced to hold an unprecedented vote to determine which school would represent the league in the Rose Bowl. Michigan's quarterback, Dennis Franklin
Dennis Franklin
Dennis Franklin is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for in the NFL he played quarterback of the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1971-1974. He served as the...
, had broken his collarbone during the game. Perhaps influenced by the injury, the athletic directors voted 6-4 to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl.
USC Trojans
Coming into the game, USCUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
had wins over Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, Georgia Tech, Oregon State, Washington State
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
, Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
, Cal, Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, and UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
. The Trojans tied Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
7-7 and lost to Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
23-14. USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
scored 301 while allowed 160 points.
First Quarter
- USC – Chris LimaheluChris LimaheluChris Limahelu was place kicker for the USC Trojans football team during the 1973 and 1974 seasons when John McKay was the head coach.Only and during his playing career, he is remembered for setting new team records...
, 47-yard field goal - OSU - JohnsonJohnsonJohnson is an English, Scottish, and Irish name of Norman origin. The name itself is a patronym of the given name John, literally meaning "son of John." The name John derives from Latin Johannes, which is derived through Greek Ἰωάννης Iōannēs, from Hebrew יוחנן Yohanan meaning "Yahweh has favoured"...
, 1-yard run (Blair Conway kick good)
Second Quarter
- USC - Limahelu, 42 yard field goal
- USC - Mckay, 10 yard pass from Davis (Haden pass to Mckay 2 point conversion)
- OSU – Johnson, 1-yard run (Blair Conway kick good)
Third Quarter
- USC - Davis, 1 yard run (Limahelu kick good)
- OSU - Johnson 4 yard run (kick blocked)
- OSU - Greene, 1 yard run (Blair Conway kick good)
Fourth Quarter
- OSU - Elia, 2 yard run, (Greene 2 point conversion)
- OSU - Griffin, 47 yard run (Blair Conway kick good)