2009 Rose Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Rose Bowl
, the 95th edition of the annual game, was a college football
bowl game
played on Thursday, January 1, 2009
at the same-named stadium in Pasadena, California
. Because of sponsorship by Citi
, the first game in the 2009 edition of the Bowl Championship Series
was officially titled the "Rose Bowl Game presented by citi". The contest was televised on ABC
with a radio broadcast on ESPN Radio
beginning at 4:30 PM US EST
with kickoff at 5:10 PM. Ticket prices for all seats in the Rose Bowl were listed at $145. The Rose Bowl Game was a contractual sell-out, with 64,500 tickets allocated to the participating teams and conferences. The remaining tickets went to the Tournament of Roses members, sponsors, City of Pasadena residents, and the general public.
Scoring 24 unanswered points
in the second quarter, the Pacific-10 Conference Champion University of Southern California Trojans
defeated the Big Ten Conference
co-champion, the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions
, 38-24, for their third consecutive Rose Bowl victory (in their fourth consecutive appearance, having lost the 2006 BCS title game
to the Texas Longhorns). The victory gave the Trojans their 24th Rose Bowl championship, the most by any team in the country. Quarterback Mark Sanchez
scored five touchdowns, one rushing and four passing.
Prior to the game, the Pac-10 conference had a 4-0 record in bowl games this season with wins by Arizona
, Cal
, Oregon
, and Oregon State
. The Trojan win gave the Pac-10 a perfect five out of five games, which was the only perfect conference bowl record of the season. The Big Ten conference had last won a Rose Bowl game in the 1999 season
; this streak ended when Ohio State
beat Oregon
in the 2010 Rose Bowl
.
football committee. Big Ten co-champions, Penn State, coached by Joe Paterno
, were picked to play against Southern California, the champions of the Pac-10, coached by Pete Carroll
. Penn State earned its bid via a head-to-head tiebreaker, beating Ohio State
, 13–6 in Columbus, Ohio
, on October 25, 2008. The Men of Troy earned their way in by defeating UCLA
28-7 on December 6, 2008. USC was designated as the home team, wearing dark jerseys and using the east bench on game day.
The 2009 game marked the first time since that the traditional teams—the champions of the Big Ten and the Pac-10—squared off at the Rose Bowl, because at least one league champion played in the BCS Championship in each the previous four years. In , Big Ten champion Michigan
met Texas
, as USC played Oklahoma
in the designated BCS Championship Game game that year, the Orange Bowl. The following year
, USC met Texas in the game, which was designated as that year's BCS National Championship contest; Big Ten champion Penn State played in the Orange Bowl against Florida State. In and , the runners-up of the Big Ten were sent to this game, since the champion, Ohio State, participated in the newly-established separate BCS Championship Game: the Wolverines played in 2007 and Illinois
would do so the following year; both teams played (and lost to) the Trojans.
Both teams lost one game during the 2008 regular season. Penn State was defeated by Iowa
(24-23) and Southern California lost to Oregon State
(27-21). USC and Penn State had faced two common opponents in the regular season. Both teams defeated Ohio State
and Penn State beat Oregon State
prior to the Beavers' defeat of the Trojans.
Penn State had appeared in the Rose Bowl twice before, losing to the Trojans 14-3 in in their only previous meeting in "The Granddaddy Of Them All", and winning in over 1994 Pac-10 champion Oregon
38-20, the latter game capped an unbeaten season in which Penn State finished #2 in both major polls. The Trojans have played in the Rose Bowl more times than any other team and made its fourth consecutive appearance in 2009. The two teams have faced each other eight times, with each team winning four games. The Kickoff Classic
XVIII on August 27, 2000, in Giants Stadium
at East Rutherford, New Jersey
, was the last time they met: the Trojans defeated the Nittany Lions, 29-5.
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 95th edition of the annual game, was a college football
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 Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009 in sports
-Alpine skiing:* Alpine World Ski Championships 2009 held at Val d'Isère, Savoy, France-American football:* The Florida Gators defeat the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14 in front of a Dolphin Stadium record crowd of 78,468 to win the 2009 BCS National Championship Game...
at the same-named stadium in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. Because of sponsorship by Citi
Citigroup
Citigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate...
, the first game in the 2009 edition of the Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
was officially titled the "Rose Bowl Game presented by citi". The contest was televised on ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
with a radio broadcast on ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
beginning at 4:30 PM US EST
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
with kickoff at 5:10 PM. Ticket prices for all seats in the Rose Bowl were listed at $145. The Rose Bowl Game was a contractual sell-out, with 64,500 tickets allocated to the participating teams and conferences. The remaining tickets went to the Tournament of Roses members, sponsors, City of Pasadena residents, and the general public.
Scoring 24 unanswered points
Answer (sports)
In sports, answering is the act of scoring following the opponent scoring that match the scoring act, thereby neutralizing the most recent scoring effort of the opponent and keeping in line with the opponent's score....
in the second quarter, the Pacific-10 Conference Champion University of Southern California Trojans
2008 USC Trojans football team
The 2008 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2008–2009...
defeated 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...
co-champion, the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions
2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the 2008 college football season. The team is coached by Joe Paterno and plays its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.-Previous season:...
, 38-24, for their third consecutive Rose Bowl victory (in their fourth consecutive appearance, having lost the 2006 BCS title game
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
to the Texas Longhorns). The victory gave the Trojans their 24th Rose Bowl championship, the most by any team in the country. Quarterback Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
scored five touchdowns, one rushing and four passing.
Prior to the game, the Pac-10 conference had a 4-0 record in bowl games this season with wins by Arizona
2008 Arizona Wildcats football team
The 2008 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach is Mike Stoops, in his fifth year at Arizona. They play their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona and compete in the Pacific-10 Conference...
, Cal
2008 California Golden Bears football team
The 2008 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2008-2009 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and are coached by Jeff Tedford...
, Oregon
2008 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2008 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the college football season of 2008. This was the final season for Mike Bellotti as the Ducks' head coach; he was promoted to become the school's athletic director after the season. The Ducks played their home games at...
, and Oregon State
2008 Oregon State Beavers football team
The 2008 Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach is Mike Riley...
. The Trojan win gave the Pac-10 a perfect five out of five games, which was the only perfect conference bowl record of the season. The Big Ten conference had last won a Rose Bowl game in the 1999 season
2000 Rose Bowl
The 2000 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2000. It was the 86th Rose Bowl game and was played on January 1, 2000 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. The game featured the Wisconsin Badgers defeating the Stanford Cardinal by a score of 17-9...
; this streak ended when Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
beat Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
in the 2010 Rose Bowl
2010 Rose Bowl
The 2010 Rose Bowl, the 96th edition of the annual game, was a college football bowl game played on Friday, January 1, 2010 at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. It featured the Ohio State Buckeyes against the Oregon Ducks...
.
Teams
The teams participating in the Rose Bowl Game were announced on Sunday, December 7, by the Pasadena Tournament of RosesPasadena Tournament of Roses
Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, created by the efforts of Charles Frederick Holder and Francis F. Rowland, is the non-profit organization that has annually produced the New Year's Day Tournament of Roses Parade since 1895 and the Rose Bowl Game, since 1902...
football committee. Big Ten co-champions, Penn State, coached by Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
, were picked to play against Southern California, the champions of the Pac-10, coached by Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
. Penn State earned its bid via a head-to-head tiebreaker, beating Ohio State
2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio...
, 13–6 in Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Stadium
Ohio Stadium is the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service on March 22, 1974...
, on October 25, 2008. The Men of Troy earned their way in by defeating UCLA
2008 UCLA Bruins football team
The UCLA Bruins football team opened the 2008 campaign by playing its first game at home against Tennessee under new head coach Rick Neuheisel, at 5:00 p.m. at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. The Bruins played six of the Top 25 teams in the 2007 final Associated Press rankings,...
28-7 on December 6, 2008. USC was designated as the home team, wearing dark jerseys and using the east bench on game day.
The 2009 game marked the first time since that the traditional teams—the champions of the Big Ten and the Pac-10—squared off at the Rose Bowl, because at least one league champion played in the BCS Championship in each the previous four years. In , Big Ten champion Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
met Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, as USC played Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in the designated BCS Championship Game game that year, the Orange Bowl. The following year
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
, USC met Texas in the game, which was designated as that year's BCS National Championship contest; Big Ten champion Penn State played in the Orange Bowl against Florida State. In and , the runners-up of the Big Ten were sent to this game, since the champion, Ohio State, participated in the newly-established separate BCS Championship Game: the Wolverines played in 2007 and Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
would do so the following year; both teams played (and lost to) the Trojans.
Both teams lost one game during the 2008 regular season. Penn State was defeated by Iowa
2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa and the Iowa Hawkeyes football program in the 2008 college football season. Coached by Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes played their seven home games in Kinnick Stadium.-Previous season:...
(24-23) and Southern California lost to Oregon State
2008 Oregon State Beavers football team
The 2008 Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach is Mike Riley...
(27-21). USC and Penn State had faced two common opponents in the regular season. Both teams defeated Ohio State
2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio...
and Penn State beat Oregon State
2008 Oregon State Beavers football team
The 2008 Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach is Mike Riley...
prior to the Beavers' defeat of the Trojans.
Penn State had appeared in the Rose Bowl twice before, losing to the Trojans 14-3 in in their only previous meeting in "The Granddaddy Of Them All", and winning in over 1994 Pac-10 champion Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
38-20, the latter game capped an unbeaten season in which Penn State finished #2 in both major polls. The Trojans have played in the Rose Bowl more times than any other team and made its fourth consecutive appearance in 2009. The two teams have faced each other eight times, with each team winning four games. The Kickoff Classic
Kickoff Classic
The Kickoff Classic was a season-opening college football game played at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey from 1983 to 2002.-History:...
XVIII on August 27, 2000, in Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
at East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
, was the last time they met: the Trojans defeated the Nittany Lions, 29-5.
Scoring summary
First quarter
- USC — Williams, D. 27 yard pass from Sanchez, Mark (Buehler, David kick), PSU 0 - USC 7
- PSU — Clark, DaryllDaryll ClarkDaryll Lawrence Clark is a football quarterback who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush. He was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League as an free agent in 2010. He played collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He is the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in...
9 yard run (Kelly, KevinKevin Kelly (American football)Kevin Patrick Kelly is a former four-year starting placekicker for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team. He is from Bristol, Pennsylvania...
kick), PSU 7 - USC 7
Second quarter
- USC — Sanchez, Mark 6 yard run (Buehler, David kick), PSU 7 - USC 14
- USC — Buehler, David 30 yard field goal, PSU 7 - USC 17
- USC — Johnson, Ronald 19 yard pass from Sanchez, Mark (Buehler, David kick), PSU 7 - USC 24
- USC — Gable, C.J. 20 yard pass from Sanchez, Mark (Buehler, David kick), PSU 7 - USC 31
Fourth quarter
- PSU — Williams, D.Derrick WilliamsDerrick Williams is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 18th pick of the 3rd round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
2 yard pass from Clark, Daryll (Kelly, Kevin kick), PSU 14 - USC 31 - USC — Johnson, Ronald 45 yard pass from Sanchez, Mark (Buehler, David kick), PSU 14 - USC 38
- PSU — Kelly, Kevin 25 yard field goal, PSU 17 - USC 38
- PSU — Norwood, JordanJordan NorwoodJordan Shea Rashad Norwood is a Filipino-American American football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Penn State.Norwood has also been a member of the Philadelphia...
9 yard pass from Clark, Daryll (Kelly, Kevin kick), PSU 24 - USC 38
Game notes
- Mark SanchezMark SanchezMark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
became the third quarterback to pass for more than 400 yards in a Rose Bowl Game, with 413 yards. The others were Wisconsin’s Ron Vander KelenRon Vander KelenRonald Vander Kelen is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played at the collegiate level at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is best-known for his MVP performance in the 1963 Rose Bowl, where he broke numerous Rose Bowl records, some of which still...
(401 yards, 1963) and Oregon’s Danny O'NeilDanny O'NeilDanny O'Neil is a former American football quarterback.O'Neil grew up in Orange County, California before attending the University of Oregon and becoming the starting quarterback for the Oregon Ducks football team. In 1994, O'Neil led the Ducks to the Pac-10 championship and a berth in the 1995...
(456 Yards, 1995). - Sanchez set a Rose Bowl record for completion percentage, at 80%.
- USC is the only team in history to have won three straight Rose Bowl games.
- The Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy honoring the 2009 Champion was created by TiffanyTiffany & Co.Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...
. - Penn State was the only team in 2008 to score more than 7 points against USC in the second half.
- This marked USC head coach Pete Carroll's fifth appearance and Penn State head coach Joe Paterno's second appearance in the Rose Bowl Game.
- BCS Commissioners took "appropriate responsive actions" against Penn State for two media access contracts violations - failure to give pre-game interviews to ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
broadcasters and provide after-game locker room access. Joe Paterno explained that he did not want the attention to be taken away from Pete Carroll, knowing that the questions would focus on his health.