What you need to know
The first football game, the nation’s first bowl game, the Tournament of Roses, was played on January 1, 1902, 12 years after the first Rose Parade. Football did not return to the lineup for the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses until its permanent return in 1916. Two Rose Bowl games were played outside of Southern California. Oregon and Ohio State will meet in the College Playoff quarterfinals on Wednesday at 2 p.m. PT.
A parade of flower-covered floats and football at the picturesque Rose Bowl are part of Southern California’s spectacular New Year’s tradition.
This year’s Rose Bowl matchup is the quarterfinals of the new 12-team College Playoff, pitting top-seeded Oregon State against eighth-seeded Ohio State.
Before the Ducks and Buckeyes finished work on the field Wednesday afternoon, we learned how college football became part of the Tournament of Roses’ New Year’s Day tradition and the often very funny “Jim Orr” Tackle the history behind ‘Grandpa’.
When was the first Rose Bowl game?
When you think of New Year’s Day in Southern California, you think of the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl football game.
The Rose Parade was first organized by members of the Valley Hunt Club in 1890 as a way to showcase Southern California in the winter. Before the hunting club competition, a parade with horse-drawn carriages decorated with flowers was held. Following the first parade, instead of soccer there were chariot races, jousting, foot races, and tug-of-war.
The first Tournament of Roses football game, the first bowl game, wasn’t played until January 1, 1902, and it was a blowout loss. Michigan’s 49-0 loss to Stanford at Tournament Park was so lopsided that football was replaced by Roman-style chariot races until 1916, when football was replaced by the Tournament of Roses. It has been permanently reinstated in tradition.
In the 1916 game at Tournament Park, Washington State defeated Brown 14-0.
Currently, between 30 and 40 college football bowl games are held at the end of each season, including Them All’s Granddaddy in Pasadena.
Pasadena’s iconic Rose Bowl is set to undergo several renovations to improve the aging stadium experience ahead of upcoming football games, concerts, and the 2028 Olympics. Lolita Lopez reports on NBC4 News on December 2, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
First game at Rose Bowl Stadium
In 1923, the game moved to Rose Bowl Stadium, one of college football’s most storied and scenic locations. That year, USC defeated Penn State 14-3.
Sports radio first
In 1927, the Rose Bowl game became the first national radio broadcast of a sporting event. Listeners took note of the dominant 7-7 tie between Stanford and Alabama.
Relocation during World War II
In 1942, the Rose Bowl game, held just weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, was moved to Durham, North Carolina, due to wartime restrictions on the West Coast. Oregon State defeated Duke 20-16.
Big Ten vs. Pac-12 era
It wasn’t until 1946 that an exclusive agreement was created between the Tournament of Roses Association, the Big Ten Conference, and the Pac-12 Conference. A decades-long meeting between the champions of the two powerhouse conferences followed, with the first game under the agreement taking place on January 1, 1947. The University of Illinois defeated UCLA in a 45-17 rout.
Everything from building the float to deciding which designs will compete in the Pasadena Tournament of the Roses requires careful planning.
First broadcast on national television
In 1952, the Rose Bowl game became the first nationally televised college football game. Ten years later, it became the first national color television broadcast of a college football game.
1st place vs. 2nd place dream showdown
First up was the Rose Bowl, a 1963 matchup between the nation’s top two teams, with No. 1 USC facing No. 2 Wisconsin in a thrilling high-stakes game. The Trojans built a 42-14 lead but were unable to score as the Badgers scored 23 points, but they held on from then on to win 42-37.
college football playoff era
In 2015, the Rose Bowl Game hosted one of the first two College Football Playoff semifinal games. Oregon defeated Florida State 59-20. This year, the playoffs were expanded to 12 teams, with the Rose Bowl hosting the quarterfinals. The national champion is scheduled to be crowned on January 20th.
Relocation during the pandemic
In 2021, the game was moved to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Most Rose Bowl appearances and most wins
USC, a former Pac-12 and current member of the Big Ten Conference, holds the records for most Rose Bowl appearances (34) and most wins (25). Michigan, a longtime member of the Big Ten Conference, ranks second in both categories (21 games played, nine wins).
Highest Scoring Rose Bowl Game
The University of Southern California and Penn State met in the 2017 Classic, with the Trojans defeating the Nittany Lions 52-49 in a 101-point shootout. Just one year later, Georgia and Oklahoma State said, “Hold my kicking tee.” The Bulldogs and Sooners combined for 102 points in two overtimes with Georgia winning 54-48.
When is the 2025 Rose Bowl?
Oregon State and Ohio State will meet Wednesday at 2 p.m. The Ducks defeated Ohio State 32-31 in October.
How to watch the 2025 Rose Bowl game
The Rose Bowl contest between Oregon State and Ohio State will be streamed on WatchESPN and broadcast on ESPN.
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