| Year game played | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Game name | Rose Bowl |
| Subheader | 66th Rose Bowl Game |
| Football season | 1979 |
| Visitor name short | USC |
| Visitor nickname | Trojans |
| Visitor school | University of Southern California |
| Home name short | Ohio State |
| Home nickname | Buckeyes |
| Home school | Ohio State University |
| Visitor record | 10–0–1 |
| Home record | 11–0 |
| Visitor coach | John Robinson |
| Home coach | Earle Bruce |
| Visitor rank ap | 3 |
| Visitor rank coaches | 2 |
| Home rank ap | 1 |
| Home rank coaches | 3 |
| Visitor 1q | 3 |
| Visitor 2q | 7 |
| Visitor 3q | 0 |
| Visitor 4q | 7 |
| Home 1q | 0 |
| Home 2q | 10 |
| Home 3q | 3 |
| Home 4q | 3 |
| Date game played | January 1 |
| Stadium | Rose Bowl |
| City | Pasadena, California |
| Mvp | Charles White (USC RB) |
| Odds | USC by 7½ points[1][2] |
| Referee | Gene Calhoun (Big Ten) (split crew: Big Ten, Pac-10) |
| Attendance | 105,526 |
| Us network | NBC |
| Us announcers | Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen, and O. J. Simpson |
| Ratings | 28.6 |
The 1980 Rose Bowl was It was the 66th edition of the college football bowl game, played on Tuesday, January 1, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The USC Trojans, champions of the Pacific-10 Conference, defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, champions of the Big Ten Conference, 17–16.[3][4]
USC's Heisman Trophy running back Charles White was named the Player of the Game (for a second time, having shared the previous game's award with Rick Leach), rushing for a record 247 yards, including the game-winning touchdown with little more than a minute remaining in the contest.[5]
Ohio State entered the game with an 11–0 record, and was one of two undefeated and untied teams in the nation, along with Alabama. If the Buckeyes had won, they likely would have gained at least a share of the national championship, since they were ranked first in the AP Poll at kickoff.[1][6]
The game received a 28.6 Nielsen Rating, making it one of the highest-rated college football games of all time.[7]
USC, having suffered a shocking 21–21 tie with Stanford (a home game in which they led 21–0 at halftime) that cost them the #1 ranking in mid-October,[8] was runner-up in both final polls, behind Alabama.
This was the sixth consecutive Rose Bowl win for the Pac-10, with ten wins in the last eleven.[1]
Scoring
First quarter
- USC – Eric Hipp 41-yard field goal
Second quarter
- USC – Kevin Williams 53-yard pass from Paul McDonald (Hipp kick)
- OSU – Vlade Janakievski 35-yard field goal
- OSU – Gary Williams 67-yard pass from Art Schlichter (Janakievski kick)
Third quarter
- OSU – Janakievski 37-yard field goal
Fourth quarter
- OSU – Janakievski, 24-yard field goal
- USC – Charles White 1-yard run (Hipp kick)
References
- ^ "Ohio State hopes to snap Big Ten's Rose Bowl jinx". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 1, 1980. p. 20.
- ^ "Latest line: college football bowl games". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 1, 1980. p. 20.
- ^ "White carries USC as far as one man can". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. January 2, 1980. p. 1D.
- ^ Looney, Douglas S. (January 14, 1980). "A beautiful Rose, even for 'Bama". Sports Illustrated. p. 28.
- ^ "Trojans' White runs sweet as a 'Rose'". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. January 2, 1980. p. C1.
- ^ "New year starts with fight for No. 1". Eugene Register-Guard. wire service reports. December 31, 1979. p. 4B.
- ^ "Fiesta Bowl Sets Record for TV". The New York Times. 6 January 1987.
- ^ "For Cards, a tie is a win; for USC, a loss". Eugene Register-Guard. wire service reports. October 14, 1979. p. 3B.