1945 - USC 25 Tennessee 0
Jim Hardy leads USC with two or more touchdown passes (five in two straight Rose Bowl appearance) and scores another on a run as the Trojans (7-0-2) blank Tennessee (7-0-1) by a 25-0 score. Jeff Cravath's Trojans score in the opening moments when Jim Callanan carries in a punt blocked by John Ferraro and in the game's last moments when Hardy passes to Doug MacLachlan. Hardy also is a skillful punter, placing three out of bounds inside the 10. All this despite the fact Hardy plays with the flu and a stomach disorder. Don Burnside gains 116 yards in 12 carries for USC.
1946 - Alabama 34 USC 14
USC suffers first Rose Bowl defeat in nine appearances as Frank Thomas' Alabama (9-0) steamrolls over the Trojans (7-3) in a 34-14 display of superiority. USC gives up more points in this one game than it allows eight previous Rose Bowl foes combined. Instead of passing USC into submission, Bama quarterback Harry Gilmer runs them, gaining 113 yards in 16 carries himself. James Corbitt adds 46 yards, Gordon Pettus 39 yards and Lowell Tew 43 yards. Only the defensive play of Ted Tannehill in the secondary prevents the score from being more decisive.
1947 - Illinois 45 UCLA 14
Illinois (7-2) launches the Big Ten pact with the West by trouncing UCLA (10-0) in a 45-14 display of Midwest superiority that continues for more than a decade. "Orange" Julius Rykovich (107 yards) and Mr. Five by Five, Buddy Young (103 yards), lead the attack of Ray Eliot's team. Other Illini standouts are lineman Alex and Lou Agase, power runners Paul Patterson and Russ Steger and quarterback Perry Moss. Little Al Hoisch stands out for Bert LaBrucherie's Bruins with a record 102-yard touchdown return of a kickoff.
1948 - Michigan 49 USC 0
Fritz Crisler's undefeated Michigan (9-0) puts on one of the greatest displays of passing and running to trounce Jeff Cravath's USC (7-1-1) by a margin of 49-0. Spinner plays featuring Robert Chappuis and Jack Weisenburger chew up the Trojans, and Chappuis passes make them dizzy. Weisenburger scores three touchdowns in the rout. Among Chappuis' favorite receivers in his 188-yard aerial show are Bump Elliott, Howard Yerges, Dick Rifenberg, Gene Derricotte, Bobby Mann and Bruce Hilkene. USC gets beyond mid-field only twice as Michigan's defense matches its potent offense.
1949 - Northwestern 20 California 14
Northwestern (7-2) launches a three-year dry spell by Lynn (Pappy) Waldorf's otherwise great California teams by pulling out a 20-14 victory. The Wildcats need a disputed touchdown by fullback Art Murakowski whose fumble while crossing the goal line is ruled a score despite photographic evidence to the contrary. California (10-0) is ahead 14-13 when it forces Bob Voights' Wildcats to punch 88 yards to score the winning touchdown by Ed Tunnicliff. Another Wildcat big gun is Frank Aschenbrenner along with Don Stonesifer and Casper Perricone. Future major league baseball star Jackie Jensen gives California its biggest moment by running 67 yards for a touchdown.
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