1951 Rose Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1951 Rose Bowl was a college football
bowl game
played on January 1, 1951. It was the 37th Rose Bowl Game
. The Michigan Wolverines
, champions of the Big Ten Conference
, defeated the California Golden Bears
, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference
, 14–6. Michigan fullback
Don Dufek
was named the Rose Bowl Player of the Game. With a record of 9–0–1, the Golden Bears were ranked fourth in the nation.
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, 1951. It was the 37th 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 Michigan Wolverines
1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bennie Oosterbaan, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 6–3–1 and defeated the California Bears in the 1951 Rose Bowl, 14–6. The team had two All-Big 10 backs in Don Dufek and Chuck Ortmann and All-American tackle R. Allen...
, champions of 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...
, defeated the California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
, champions of 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...
, 14–6. Michigan fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Don Dufek
Don Dufek, Sr.
Don Dufek, Sr. is a former American football player and athletic director at Grand Valley State University and Kent State University. He is the father of All-American football players Don, and Bill as well as Joe who all played in the National Football League....
was named the Rose Bowl Player of the Game. With a record of 9–0–1, the Golden Bears were ranked fourth in the nation.
Michigan Wolverines
Michigan had to beat rival Ohio State in the notorious “Snow Bowl” game, which was played in 21 inches of snow.California Golden Bears
This was California's third consecutive Rose Bowl Game. 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.Second quarter
- California - Bob Cummings, 39-yard pass from Jim Marinos (Les RichterLes RichterLeslie Alan Richter was a Los Angeles Rams National Football League football player, former head of operations for NASCAR and president of the Riverside International Raceway. He played in 8 Pro Bowls as a linebacker. Richter was born in Fresno, California...
kick failed)
Fourth quarter
- Michigan - Don DufekDon Dufek, Sr.Don Dufek, Sr. is a former American football player and athletic director at Grand Valley State University and Kent State University. He is the father of All-American football players Don, and Bill as well as Joe who all played in the National Football League....
, 1-yard run (Harry Allis kick) - Michigan - Don Dufek, 7-yard run (Harry Allis kick)
Game notes
- Chuck OrtmannChuck OrtmannCharles H. Ortmann is a former American football player who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1948 to 1950 and in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1951 and the Dallas Texans in 1952....
completed 15 of 19 passes for 146 yards for Michigan and Jim Marinos was 4 for 7 completions for 69 yards for Cal. - This was Michigan's third straight bowl game victory
- Pete Schabarum later became a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1972.