1951 Rose Bowl

The 1951 Rose Bowl was the 37th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on Monday, January 1. The ninth-ranked Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the California Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference, 14–6.[4][5][6][7]

1951 Rose Bowl
37th Rose Bowl Game
Michigan Wolverines California Golden Bears
(5–3–1) (9–0–1)
Big Ten Pacific Coast
14 6
Head coach: 
Bennie Oosterbaan		 Head coach: 
Pappy Waldorf
APCoaches
96
APCoaches
54
1234 Total
Michigan 00014 14
California 0600 6
DateJanuary 1, 1951
Season1950
StadiumRose Bowl
LocationPasadena, California
MVPDon Dufek (Michigan FB)
FavoriteCalifornia by 1 to 3 points[1][2][3]
RefereeCharles Brown (Pacific Coast;
split crew: Pacific Coast, Big Ten)
Attendance98,939

Michigan fullback Don Dufek scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and was named the Player of the Game. With a record of 9–0–1, the Golden Bears were ranked fourth in the nation.[8]

It was the Big Ten's fifth consecutive win in the Rose Bowl, and California's third straight loss.

Teams

Michigan Wolverines
Main article: 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team

Michigan upset rival Ohio State 9–3 in the notorious Snow Bowl game, played in 21 inches (53 cm) of snow in Columbus.[9][10]

California Golden Bears
Main article: 1950 California Golden Bears football team

This was California's third consecutive trip to the Rose Bowl and were slightly favored.[1][2][3] Pete Schabarum broke a 77-yard run on the second play of the game, but a backfield-in-motion penalty nullified the score to stop the Cal momentum.

Scoring

First quarter
No scoring

Second quarter
  • California - Bob Cummings, 39-yard pass from Jim Marinos (Les Richter kick failed)

Third quarter
No scoring

Fourth quarter

Game notes

Aftermath

After this third consecutive loss by California, the Pacific Coast Conference enacted a "no-repeat" rule, similar to the Big Ten's. Future teams affected were UCLA in 1955 and Oregon State in 1958, and both resulted in wins for the Big Ten. With the PCC's dissolution in the spring of 1959, the succeeding AAWU (Big Five) abolished that rule, and Washington won the next two Rose Bowls in 1960 and 1961.

Although Minnesota appeared in consecutive Rose Bowls in 1961 and 1962, (both as "at-large" invitations, the latter after champion Ohio State declined),[11] the Big Ten kept its rule until the early 1970s; the last team affected was Michigan State in 1967, when runner-up Purdue edged unranked USC by a point. The first Big Ten team to make a repeat appearance in the 1970s was Ohio State in 1974, the conference's only win in Pasadena that decade.

References
  1. "Cal is favored by three". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 1, 1951. p. 8.
  2. Knack, Joe (January 1, 1951). "Coast seeks first Happy New Year in five years". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 22.
  3. "Rose Bowl". Pittsburgh Press. December 31, 1950. p. 23.
  4. Knack, Joe (January 2, 1951). "It's famine again on Coast as Michigan win, 14-6". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 18.
  5. Love, Bill (January 2, 1951). "Michigan snatches bowl victory from California in final period 14 to 6". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 10.
  6. "Fourth quarter surge by Michigan routs hapless California". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1951. p. 10.
  7. "Halftime talk sparks Michigan". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. January 2, 1951. p. 24.
  8. Rose Bowl Game Timeline Archived March 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Pasadena Tournament of Roses
  9. "Michigan may go to Rose Bowl on Ohio State upset; Illinois loses". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 26, 1950. p. 2, sports.
  10. Knack, Joe (November 26, 1950). "Michigan upsets Ohio State, 9 to 3". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 1, section 4.
  11. Stevenson, Jack (December 3, 1961). "Minnesota accepts bid, plays Uclans in Rose tilt". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. p. D-1.
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