The 52nd Rose Bowl Game

Historian and podcaster Dana Auguster of the Historically Speaking Sports Podcast joins us to chat about this 52nd Rose Bowl between UCLA and Michigan State.

UCLA Stuns Spartans 02 Jan 1966, Sun The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri) Newspapers.comThe top-ranked Michigan State Spartans were scheduled to play the fifth-ranked UCLA Bruins after the invitations were accepted for College Bowl Season in late 1965. The Michigan State team of Coach Duffy Daugherty was undefeated and had a dominant defense, especially against the run. This fearsome bunch negatively left opponents on rushing yards in games, including Notre Dame (-12 yards), Michigan (-51 yards), and Ohio State (-22 yards). Head Coach Tommy Prothro of the Bruins knew his team had their work cut out for themselves. They had played Michigan State in the season opener and lost the contest 13-3. 

UCLA Quarterback Gary Beban, the eventual Heisman and Maxwell Award winner, started the game off strong for his team's cause when he ran 27 yards on the Bruin's first play from scrimmage. The drive eventually stalled, and not much else happened until the end of the first quarter when UCLA’s Byron Nelson stripped the ball out of Spartan punt returner Don Japinga’s hands. The turnover set UCLA up at the MSU six-yard line. Beban ran a called QB sneak into the end zone to put UCAL up by a score. On the ensuing kickoff, Coach Prothro called for an onside kick, and it worked! After a couple of long runs by back Mel Farr, a great pass from Beban to Kurt Altenberg, and a one-yard plunge into the end zone by Beban, the Bruin held a surprising 14-0 lead. Michigan State tried a couple of long drives before the half that was thwarted by a fumble and turnover on downs. Halfway through the final quarter Michigan State started to make its move. 

Steve Juday passed to Gene Washington for 42 yards to the UCLA 38. Big Bob Apisa took a pitch from sophomore quarterback Jimmy Raye and scored on a 38-yard run. On the point after, Michigan State faked the kick and went for a two-point conversion, but that attempt failed. The MSU defense stalled the next UCLA drive, and star D-lineman Bubba Smith blocked a punt by Bruin punter Larry Cox. Michigan State had the ball with excellent field position and momentum. The Spartans started their drive, platooning QBs with Daugherty sending in the plays between Juday and Raye. UCLA’s defense was stingy as they forced three fourth downs that MSU converted on. The drive was working, and with thirty-one seconds remaining, Steve Juday scored on a quarterback sneak. Trailing 14–12, Daughterty set his team up for a two-point conversion attempt. Raye took the snap and pitched the ball to Apisa, who ran to the right, and as he turned the corner, it appeared he would convert. Still, UCLA's Jim Colletto gave him no room to cut and forced the rusher parallel to the goal line, eventually taken down by the pursuit of Dallas Grider, and Bob Stiles short of the mark. Stiles hit Apisa so hard, that the impact knocked Stiles out cold! In a thriller, UCLA earned the upset victory 14-12. Stiles was named the Player of the Game.

Later that evening in the Orange Bowl Alabama defeated Nebraska and the Crimson Tide were crowned the National Champions

A Very Special thanks to information obtained from the following brilliant internet sites: On This Day Sports, the Sports Reference's family of website databases & Stathead.com.

Banner photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons of a Football svg image overlayed on a rose phot taken by Darin Hayes