Top 10 Most Unforgettable Rose Bowl Games of All Time

A century’s worth of football has produced some incredible games! Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Rose Bowl Games.

For this list, we’re looking at some of the greatest college football games ever played in this event’s long and prestigious history.

The 1966 Michigan State Spartans were a true powerhouse. They finished the season undefeated and ranked number one in the country. Plus, their lineup featured a number of future College Football Hall of Famers. What they didn’t have, however, was future Heisman Trophy winner Gary Beban. Beban was the quarterback for the UCLA Bruins, and his two second-quarter touchdown runs gave UCLA an early 14-0 lead. The Spartans rallied with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but their final two-point attempt was stuffed at the goal line by Bob Stiles who was knocked unconscious on the play.

Gutsy calls make for exciting finishes. The Buckeyes had a one-touchdown lead with little time remaining in the fourth. Trojan quarterback Pat Haden confidently led his team down the field, however, and a 38-yard touchdown pass got them within one. A point-after kick would have tied the game, but USC coach John McKay decided to go for the win and went for two. It paid off as Haden connected with Shelton Diggs to take an 18-17 lead. The Ohio State kicker’s field goal attempt to salvage a win sailed wide, giving the Trojans the victory.

This was the first time that the teams ranked number one and number two in the country faced each other in a bowl game, and it did not disappoint. The game seemed like a blowout, as USC held a 21-7 lead at the half. A pair of third-quarter touchdowns increased their lead to 42-14 entering the fourth quarter. That’s when Wisconsin quarterback Ron Vander Kelen took over the game and led the Badgers to 23 straight points, but he could not complete the comeback, coming up just 5 points short. The game set eleven Rose Bowl records at the time, and the record 79 points scored stood for nearly thirty years.

Coming into this game, Big Ten teams had lost 16 times in the previous 18 Rose Bowl games. Michigan State already beat USC in the season-opener in Michigan, but the Trojans were now in their home state of California for the rematch. The Spartans jumped out to an early lead, but USC rallied and was able to tie the game at 17 late in the fourth quarter. The Spartans then tacked-on a field goal to jump ahead 20-17, but Trojans quarterback Rodney Peete quickly led his team back down the field. However, at the Spartan 29-yard line with two minutes left, Peete fumbled the snap, allowing Michigan State to run out the clock and take home the win.

It’s only fitting that the 100th Rose Bowl Game was a classic between a Big Ten team and a Pacific Coast Conference team. While this game did not determine the National Champion, it did pit two strong teams against each other, as both squads entered the game with just one loss. Stanford jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but Michigan State rallied to tie the game at 17 in the third quarter, and eventually took a 24-17 lead in the fourth. Stanford added a late field goal to put them within four points, but with less than two minutes remaining, Ryan Hewitt was stuffed on 4th and 1, sealing the victory for the Spartans.

The 1996 Sun Devils, led by future NFL stars Jake Plummer and Pat Tillman, were a true powerhouse with copious amounts of talent on both sides of the ball. The Buckeyes weren’t pushovers, however, and held their own with Arizona State, eventually taking a 14-10 lead going into the fourth quarter. A dazzling touchdown run by Plummer reclaimed the lead for the Sun Devils, but two huge pass interference calls allowed Ohio State to move within scoring distance in the final minute of play. True freshman and budding star David Boston caught a five-yard touchdown pass with just 19 seconds left, giving the Buckeyes the lead, and the win.

The Rose Bowl generally features similar teams each year, because of its association with the Pacific Coast Conference and the Big Ten, so it was surprising to see the TCU Horned Frogs of the Mountain West Conference in the game. Led by quarterback Andy Dalton, TCU held a 21-13 lead in the fourth quarter, but a Montee Ball touchdown from 4 yards out with two minutes to go made it close. Lacking timeouts, the Badgers were forced to go for two to tie. A huge deflection by TCU linebacker Tank Carder prevented the conversion and sealed the victory for the Horned Frogs.

Amazingly, this was the first meeting between two of the biggest and most successful programs in college football. The result was one for the ages, as both teams decorated the scoreboard. In a preview of what would come a year later, Longhorns quarterback Vince Young totaled over 350 yards of offense and contributed five touchdowns, four of which came on the ground, helping Texas rally from a 10 point deficit in the fourth quarter. Despite Young’s outstanding performance, the Longhorns still needed a late field goal from walk-on senior kicker Dusty Mangum to win, and, despite being iced twice by Michigan; he was able to nail the 37-yard field goal attempt for the victory.

Both USC and Ohio State entered this game undefeated. While Ohio State was the number one team in the country, the Trojans had Heisman Trophy winner Charles White as running back. White was unstoppable in this game, rushing for 247 yards and a touchdown. He helped the Trojans to an early 10-0 lead, but the Buckeyes were able to tie the game at the half and eventually add two field goals to pull ahead 16-10. White refused to let the Trojans lose and carried the ball six times for 71 yards, finding the end zone with just over a minute left to seal the win for USC.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

- 1972 Rose Bowl
Stanford 13, Michigan 12

- 1929 Rose Bowl
Georgia Tech 8, California 7

- 1941 Rose Bowl
Stanford 21, Nebraska 13

This game is not only one of the best Rose Bowl games ever played, it is one of the best football games ever played period. The battle for the National Championship featured the defending Rose Bowl champion USC Trojans against the Vince Young-led Texas Longhorns. A Matt Leinart touchdown pass gave USC a 38-26 lead with less than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, but Young cut the lead to five with a 17-yard run – and that’s when things got crazy. The Longhorns stuffed Lendale White on 4th and 2, giving Young one last chance to complete the comeback. Young found the end zone on the fourth down, using his legs once again to earn Texas their fourth National Championship.

Do you agree with our list? What do you think is the greatest Rose Bowl game? For more great Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.