1902: Michigan, 49 vs. Stanford, 0

Game Summary

The first contest in Rose Bowl Game history, played on a 110-yard field in Tournament Park, was not even a full game.

Michigan capped one of the most astounding seasons in college football history with a 49-0 pummeling of Stanford, leading the Indians to concede with eight minutes left in the game and giving the Wolverines the first-ever Rose Bowl Game title.

The football game was born as an addition to the sporting events that had complemented the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade, since its inception in 1890. It was to feature an intersectional post-season game – the first of its kind – pitting the best team from the East against the best team from the West. The forward pass was yet to become legal, touchdowns were worth five points, as were field goals, and extra points were worth one.

That year, Michigan had been invited to play Stanford, champion of the Pacific Coast Universities, and according to the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan, the Wolverines “left Ann Arbor on Dec. 17 with temperatures below freezing and six inches of snow on the ground. Eight days later, Michigan arrived in Los Angeles and was greeted by 80-plus degrees and newspaper reports listing several reasons why Stanford should win.”

Twenty minutes into the game, the 8,500 spectators that packed the stands and sidelines designed for only a few thousand witnessed that those newspaper reports might come true. The Stanford defense continued to stop a Michigan attack that had scored 501 points in 10 games so far that year. The score was 0-0.

However, 23 minutes into the game, Michigan halfback Willie Heston broke loose for a 21-yard gain to the Stanford 9-yard line. Three plays later, Michigan scored the first touchdown in Rose Bowl Game history, a 6-yard run from fullback Neil Snow. After a 20-yard field goal, Michigan’s Chris Redden scored on a 25-yard punt return to make the score 17-0 at halftime.

In the second half, the Wolverines simply dominated the Indians. They scored on runs of 2, 8, 17, 4 and 21 yards, in addition to a 25-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

Overall, Michigan ran for 527 yards on 90 carries, Heston taking 18 of those for 170 yards. Snow ran for 107 yards, and the powerful fullback punched the ball into the end zone five times. The Wolverine defense held Stanford to 67 yards on 24 carries.

In 11 games that season, Michigan went 11-0 and outscored its opponents 550-0.

Despite the 8,500 spectators that packed the field, it was reported that the football game didn’t meet financial expectations, and despite Michigan’s anomalous season, the lopsided score made organizers fear that spectators might lose interest, so the game was replaced by a polo match in 1903 and chariot races in 1904 until football returned in 1916.

Attendance

8,500

Scoring

(Touchdowns worth 5 points, PAT worth 1, field goal worth 5)

First Half:
Mich – Snow, 6-yard run (Shorts kick)
Mich – Sweeley, 20-yard field goal
Mich – Redden, 25-yard punt return (Shorts kick)
Second Half:
Mich – Snow, 2-yard run (kick failed)
Mich – Redden, 25-yard fumble return (Shorts kick)
Mich – Snow, 8-yard run (kick failed)
Mich – Snow, 17-yard run (kick failed)
Mich – Snow, 4-yard run (Shorts kick)
Mich – Herrnstein, 21-yard run (kick failed)

Coaches

Michigan: Fielding Yost
Stanford: Charles M. Fickert

Weather

Mid-80s

Fun Fact

Twenty-three minutes into the first half, Willie Heston broke loose on a naked bootleg and picked up 21 yards, for the first “big” play in Rose Bowl Game history.

Game Statistics

Individual Stats

Rushing
Mich: Heston 18-170 yards; Snow 107 yards; Herrnstein 97 yards.

Leading Punters:
Mich: Sweeley 21-819
Stan: Fisher 5-160; McFadden 4-119

Substitutions:
Mich: none. 
Stan: Sefton, end; Hannemen, tackle; Van Sickle, guard; Allen, backfield