1996 Rose Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1996 Rose Bowl was the 82nd Rose Bowl Game
. It was the 50th game in the series featuring the Big Ten Conference
and the Pacific-10 Conference. The USC Trojans defeated the Northwestern Wildcats
41-32 on the strength of two touchdown passes from USC QB Brad Otton
to WR Keyshawn Johnson
. Keyshawn Johnson was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game.
. The Wildcats opened the 1995 season with a surprise 17-15 win at #9 Notre Dame on September 3, 1995. That Notre Dame team would finish at number 6 and go to the Orange Bowl
. However, Notre Dame set the record for largest drop in the rankings AP Poll
in the Top 25-era when the next AP poll was released. The Fighting Irish dropped 16 spots, from #9 to #25, after losing to Northwestern (this record has since been beaten by Michigan
after losing
to Appalachian State
during the first week of the 2007 season
). The Wildcats, who were then ranked in the AP poll for the first time since 1971, fell out of the spotlight when they lost to in their next game. They would win against and to get back to #25 in the polls. On October 2, the Wildcats had another win that brought them back into national attention, a 19–13 over Michigan
in Ann Arbor. The Wildcats would win out the rest of their games with a perfect 8–0 record in the Big Ten Conference
. In response to the Wildcats being in the Rose Bowl announcer Keith Jackson
uttered the quote "We've had all the romance, now let's find out if she can dance."
. Down 21–0 in the fourth quarter, the Trojans scored three straight touchdowns, with the final coming with 33 seconds remaining. The game ended in a 21-21 tie. A Washington loss to on November 4 put USC in the lead in the PAC 10 race. Coming into the UCLA-USC rivalry
game, the Trojans already had the Rose Bowl berth by virtue of more non-conference victories than Washington, even though a loss to the would leave both teams with a 6-1-1 record. The Trojans lost to the Bruins 20-24.
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...
. It was the 50th game in the series featuring 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...
and the Pacific-10 Conference. The USC Trojans defeated the Northwestern Wildcats
1995 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 1995 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the 1995 NCAA Division I-A college football season.-Season:...
41-32 on the strength of two touchdown passes from USC QB Brad Otton
Brad Otton
Brad Otton is a former American football quarterback who was the USC Trojans starter in 1995 and 1996.-College career:...
to WR Keyshawn Johnson
Keyshawn Johnson
Joseph Keyshawn Johnson is a former American football wide receiver, interior designer, business executive, author and current television broadcaster for sports channel ESPN. He retired from football on May 23, 2007 after an eleven-year career in the National Football League...
. Keyshawn Johnson was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game.
Northwestern Wildcats
The Northwestern Wildcats had a string of losing seasons stretching back to 1972. They had last appeared in the 1949 Rose Bowl1949 Rose Bowl
The 1949 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game. It was the 35th Rose Bowl Game, and the third since the Big Nine Conference and Pacific Coast Conference agreed to an exclusive agreement to match their conference champions. The Northwestern Wildcats defeated the California Golden Bears 20-14...
. The Wildcats opened the 1995 season with a surprise 17-15 win at #9 Notre Dame on September 3, 1995. That Notre Dame team would finish at number 6 and go to the Orange Bowl
1996 Orange Bowl (January)
The 62nd Orange Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on January 1, 1996, at The Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Florida State defeated Notre Dame, 31-26. The game was part of the 1995-1996 Bowl Alliance of the 1995 NCAA Division I-A...
. However, Notre Dame set the record for largest drop in the rankings AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
in the Top 25-era when the next AP poll was released. The Fighting Irish dropped 16 spots, from #9 to #25, after losing to Northwestern (this record has since been beaten by Michigan
2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2007 college football season. This was Lloyd Carr's final season as Michigan head coach. The 2007 season began with a stunning loss to Appalachian State, but the Wolverines won eight straight games after...
after losing
2007 Appalachian State vs. Michigan football game
The 2007 Appalachian State-Michigan game was a college football game held on September 1 at Michigan Stadium on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It pitted the #5 ranked Michigan Wolverines against the two-time defending champions of the Division I FCS, the...
to Appalachian State
2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team
The 2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University in the college football season of 2007–2008. The team was coached by Jerry Moore and the Mountaineers played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina.The football team competes in...
during the first week of the 2007 season
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
). The Wildcats, who were then ranked in the AP poll for the first time since 1971, fell out of the spotlight when they lost to in their next game. They would win against and to get back to #25 in the polls. On October 2, the Wildcats had another win that brought them back into national attention, a 19–13 over Michigan
1995 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1995 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1995 college football season. The team's head coach was Lloyd Carr...
in Ann Arbor. The Wildcats would win out the rest of their games with a perfect 8–0 record in 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...
. In response to the Wildcats being in the Rose Bowl announcer Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson is an American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports , his coverage of college football , his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R...
uttered the quote "We've had all the romance, now let's find out if she can dance."
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans opened with six wins until losing at Notre Dame 38–10 on October 21. On October 28, USC and Washington played what would be the deciding game for the conference at Husky StadiumHusky Stadium
Husky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies...
. Down 21–0 in the fourth quarter, the Trojans scored three straight touchdowns, with the final coming with 33 seconds remaining. The game ended in a 21-21 tie. A Washington loss to on November 4 put USC in the lead in the PAC 10 race. Coming into the UCLA-USC rivalry
UCLA-USC rivalry
The UCLA–USC rivalry is the American college rivalry between the UCLA Bruins sports teams of the University of California, Los Angeles and the USC Trojans sports teams of the University of Southern California ....
game, the Trojans already had the Rose Bowl berth by virtue of more non-conference victories than Washington, even though a loss to the would leave both teams with a 6-1-1 record. The Trojans lost to the Bruins 20-24.
Game summary
First quarter
- USC: S.Woods 1yd run (Abrams kick) USC 7-0
- NU: D.Autry 3 yd run (Gowins kick) Tied 7-7
Second quarter
- USC: Barnum 21 yd pass from Otton (Abrams kick) USC 14-7
- USC: Abrams 30 yd FG USC 17-7
- USC: McCutcheon 53 yd fumble return (Abrams kick) USC 24-7
- NU: Gowins 29 yd FG USC 24-10
Third quarter
- NU: Gowins 28 yd FG USC 24-13
- NU: D.Autry 9 yd run (conversion failed) USC 24-19
- USC: K.Johnson 56 yd pass from Otton (Abrams kick) USC 31-19
- NU: Schnur 1 yd run (Gowins kick) USC 31-26
Fourth quarter
- NU: D.Autry 2 yd run (conversion failed) NU 32-31
- USC: Abrams 46 yd FG USC 34-32
- USC: Washington 2 yd run (Abrams kick) USC 41-32