1976 ohio state football roster12/7/2023 ![]() ![]() The Buckeyes took a slim 3–0 lead to the locker room at halftime. UCLA did not gain a first down until late in the second quarter, but a couple of Ohio State turnovers and a key stop on 4th and 1 by the Bruin defense kept them in the game. Ohio State dominated the first half, but could only muster a field goal on its opening possession. This was UCLA's first Rose Bowl appearance in a full decade in the 1966 edition, they also defeated a team which they had lost to earlier in the season, top-ranked Michigan State.īoth teams wore their home uniforms, Ohio State in scarlet jerseys, and UCLA in powderkeg blue jerseys. As it turned out, it was also Vermeil's last game there. The 1975 USC-UCLA game was legendary coach John McKay's final game at the Coliseum he left for the NFL's expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. UCLA ended up tied with California for the Pac-8 championship, but advanced to the Rose Bowl on the strength of their 28–14 win in an October matchup with the Golden Bears. In that Friday night after Thanksgiving game, the Bruins fumbled 11 times and lost 8 of them, but their maligned defense bailed them out time and time again. In addition to the 41–20 loss to Ohio State, UCLA also fell at home to Washington 17–13 and was tied by Air Force 20–20, but won their other six conference games, including a fumble-plagued 25–22 win over cross town rival USC to clinch the Rose Bowl berth. In his second season as head coach, Dick Vermeil made his only Rose Bowl appearance weeks later he left for the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. See also: 1975 UCLA Bruins football season Ohio State was a heavy favorite to win the Rose Bowl, by two touchdowns or more. This year, #5 Michigan (8–1–2) was invited to the Orange Bowl to face #3 Oklahoma, the Big Eight champion. Michigan was the Big Ten runner-up for a fourth straight year in the previous three, they stayed home during bowl season because of conference rules. With less than three minutes remaining, Michigan's freshman quarterback Rick Leach was intercepted by sophomore safety Ray Griffin, who returned it thirty yards down to the 3-yard line, and fullback Pete Johnson ran it in for the winning touchdown. Tied at 14–14, and having already tied two non-conference opponents, the Wolverines needed a win to advance to Pasadena. The Wolverines held the Buckeyes scoreless in the second and third quarters. Ohio State capped an undefeated regular season with a 21–14 win over rival Michigan in Ann Arbor for Hayes' last outright Big Ten championship, and also his last victory over former assistant Bo Schembechler. It was also a record fourth Rose Bowl start for Griffin he was the only player to start in four until joined by Brian Cushing of USC in January 2009. It was a record fourth consecutive appearance for the 62-year-old Hayes, and his eighth and final appearance in the Rose Bowl. Hayes brought an 11–0 Ohio State team to Pasadena, featuring two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin. See also: 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes made his final appearance in the Rose Bowl, as Michigan represented the Big Ten in the next three editions. This was the first post season that teams from the Big Ten and Pac-8 could appear in other bowl games since the Cotton Bowl in January 1949. UCLA quarterback John Sciarra was named the Player of the Game. The UCLA Bruins of the Pacific-8 Conference defeated the top-ranked and undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference 23–10 in a rare bowl rematch of a regular season game. The 1976 Rose Bowl was the 62nd edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Thursday, January 1. Featuring Kate Smith singing God Bless America, followed by the Star Spangled Banner ![]()
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