| 1969 Rose Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 55th Rose Bowl Game National Championship Game | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | January 1, 1969 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Rose Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Pasadena, California | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Rex Kern (Ohio State QB) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Ohio State by 3½ points [1][2] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | The Ohio State University Marching Band | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Charles Moffett (Pacific-8) (split crew: Pac-8, Big Ten) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Halftime show | Spirit of Troy, The Ohio State University Marching Band | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 102,063 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | NBC | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Curt Gowdy, Kyle Rote | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen ratings | 33.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
The 1969 Rose Bowl was the 55th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Wednesday, January 1. The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference defeated the defending national champions - #2 USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Conference, 27–16.[3][4][5][6] Sophomore quarterback Rex Kern of Ohio State was the Player of the Game.[7]
Heisman Trophy winner O. J. Simpson rushed for 171 yards and an 80-yard touchdown run, but USC had five turnovers, including an interception and a fumble by Simpson. It was only the second #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Rose Bowl, the first was six years earlier. It was the first time in the history of the Big 9(Ten) – PCC/Big Ten – AAWU agreements that two unbeaten teams met in the Rose Bowl.
It was the first of four Rose Bowl matchups between the head coaches; Woody Hayes of Ohio State and USC's John McKay. It was the first of three with the national championship on the line for both schools.
- ^ Sullwold, Chet (January 1, 1969). "Rose Bowl theme simple: Who's No.1?". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 73.
- ^ "Young Buckeyes slight favorites over Trojans". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 31, 1968. p. 2B.
- ^ "Hayes: 'Greatest bowl victory'; SC falls, 27-16". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1969. p. 3B.
- ^ Sullwold, Chet (January 2, 1969). "Play to O.J., day to Bucks". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 25.
- ^ Kahn, Alex (January 2, 1969). "Ohio State quiets skeptics, proves No. 1 rating by beating Trojans, 27-16". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). UPI. p. 21.
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (January 13, 1969). "Defense and Rex make a king". Sports Illustrated. p. 16.
- ^ 2008 Rose Bowl Program Archived March 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, 2008 Rose Bowl. Accessed January 26, 2008.