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1975 - USC 18 Ohio State 17
The Woody Hayes Show continues in his third of four straight Rose Bowl appearances but John McKay of USC gets the last cigar as his Trojans (10-1) nip Ohio State 18-17. Despite two field goals by Chris Limahelu and a Jim Obradovich touchdown catch of a Pat Haden pass, USC trails 17-10 because of touchdowns by Buckeyes Champ Henson and Cornelius Greene and a Tom Klaban field goal. Then USC wins it in spectacular fashion with 2:03 left on the clock. Sub Allen Carter (75 yards) carries on for injured Anthony Davis and spearheads the winning drive before Haden fires a 36-yard touchdown pass to McKay's son, J.K., and a two-point conversion pass to Shelton Diggs. Johnny McKay ends his Rose Bowl career with a 5-3 record, tying Howard Jones for victories.
1976 - UCLA 23 Ohio State 10
Woody Hayes bows out of Rose Bowl spotlight with 4-4 record as his Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0) lose another national title when upset by Dick Vermeil's comeback UCLA Bruins who despite a 8-2-1 record pull out a sensational 23-10 victory. Ohio State completely dominates the first half but leads only 3-0 on Tom Kleban's 42-yard field goal despite penetrations to UCLA's 25, 33, 32 and 21-yard lines. UCLA can't make a first down in the first 26 minutes and gains only 48 total yards in the first half. Then thunder, generated by quarterback John Sciarra, strikes. Sciarra completes 13 of 19 passes including 16 and 67-yard touchdown completions to Wally Henry. Wendell Tyler makes a 54-yard touchdown run, winding up with 172 yards on 21 carries. The game completes Archie Griffin's four Rose Bowl appearances good for 412 yards in 79 carries. Pete Johnson again is big for the Buckeyes, but Bruins Cliff Frazier, Manu Tuiasosopo, Terry Tautolo, Dale Curry, Ray Burks and Raymond Bell eventually prevail defensively.
1977 - USC 14 Michigan 6
The John Robinson era of USC success in the Rose Bowl begins as the Pac-8, later to grow into the Pac-10, continues into a period of its greatest dominance since the pact with the Big Ten began in 1947. The West moves toward winning six straight and 12 of 13 Rose Bowl games from 1975 to 1987 as Robinson's 11-1 Trojans disappoint Bo Schembechler's 10-1 Michigan Wolverines 14-6. Charles White replaces the injured Ricky Bell and gains 114 yards in 32 tries to join quarterback Vince Evans (14 completions in 20 attempts) and Shelton Diggs (eight catches) as Trojan offensive stars. Evans and White score for USC and Rob Lytle for Michigan.
1978 - Washington 27 Michigan 20
Yes, this is the era of West success in the Rose Bowl as another new name comes forth to direct the dominance over the Big Ten. Don James of Washington joins USC's John Robinson, UCLA's Terry Donahue, USC's Ted Tollner, Arizona State's John Cooper and USC's Larry Smith in proving the Big Ten invasion of Pasadena now is a perilous one. James' Washington Huskies (only a 7-4 season record) drub Bo Schembechler's 10-1 Michigan 27-20 with the passing arm and running of Warren Moon and the receiving of Bob Gaines plus the toe of Steve Robbins who has two field goals and three conversions. This is a game of long yardage catches with a Moon to Gaines 64 yarder and a Rick Leach to Curt Stephenson 76 yarder for Michigan. Interceptions by Michael Jackson and Nesby Glasgow shut off Michigan's late attempts to rally.
1979 - USC 17 Michigan 10
Frustration continues for Bo Schembechler who loses his fifth straight Rose Bowl game, this time with another 10-1 Michigan team that succumbs to John Robinson's 11-1 USC Trojans 17-10. Overthrows by Michigan's Rick Leach lead to two USC interceptions by Ronnie Lott and Dennis Smith and 10 points on a Paul McDonald to Hoby Brenner touchdown pass and a 35-yard Frank Jordan field goal. Michigan scores on a 36-yard Greg Willner field goal and a 44-yard scoring pass from Leach to Roosevelt Smith. The touchdown that gives USC its winning margin is a disputed one by Charles White who is stripped of the ball by Ron Simpkins while attempting to cross the goal line with Michigan's Mark Braman recovering on the one. It is ruled a touchdown even though many observers feel White crossed the goal line but the ball didn't. The victory makes USC's all-time Rose Bowl record 16-6.
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