By Darin 
Did you know the record for the most points scored in the history of the Rose Bowl belongs to a player who set it in the very first game over 120 years ago, when touchdowns were only worth five points? That player is Neil Snow, the legendary fullback and defensive end for the University of Michigan Wolverines, whose performance in the inaugural “Granddaddy of Them All” remains an almost unbelievable feat of collegiate athletics.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, on November 10, 1879, Neil Snow was a gridiron star for the Michigan Wolverines from 1898 to 1901. Snow was an exceptionally versatile athlete, playing both end and fullback positions, even serving as the team captain in 1900. His career culminated in the historic 1901 season under legendary rookie coach Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines, famously nicknamed the “Point-a-Minute” team, went undefeated (11-0) and, remarkably, did not surrender a single point to an opponent all season, outscoring them by an unprecedented 550 to 0. This dominant run earned them a trip to the West Coast to face Stanford in the first-ever Tournament of Roses football game on January 1, 1902.
It was in this monumental, inaugural Rose Bowl that Snow cemented his permanent place in college football lore. Michigan delivered a 49-0 rout of Stanford, and Neil Snow was the undisputed star of the game. He powered his way to five individual touchdowns—a Rose Bowl record that stands untouched to this day. Because a touchdown only counted for five points in 1902, his effort accounted for 25 total points, a scoring record that also remains intact. For this monumental, multi-position effort, he was retroactively named the first Rose Bowl MVP when the award was officially created in 1953.
Snow’s prowess extended beyond the 1902 victory. He was recognized nationally for his skill at the end position, earning a consensus First-Team All-American selection in 1901. The College Football Hall of Fame formally recognized his immense contribution to the sport, inducting him in 1960. While his playing career was short-lived—he sadly passed away at the young age of 34—his record-setting performance in Pasadena ensures that his football name will forever be synonymous with the history of the Rose Bowl.
Verified Football Accolades and Accomplishments:
- Rose Bowl All-Time Record: Most points scored in a single game (25 points in 1902).
- Rose Bowl All-Time Record: Most touchdowns scored in a single game (5 in 1902).
- Consensus First-Team All-American (1901).
- Rose Bowl Player of the Game (1902 – Retroactive Award).
- National Champion (1901 with Michigan).
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1960).
- Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Inductee (1990).
- Captain of the Michigan Wolverines Football Team (1900).