1985 Rose Bowl

The 1985 Rose Bowl Game was a postseason college football bowl game between the USC Trojans of the Pacific-10 Conference and Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference, held on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The game resulted in a 20-17 victory for the Trojans.^[1]

Scoring summary

First quarter

• Ohio State - Spangler 21-yard field goal, 12:08 - OSU 3, USC 0^[2]
• USC - Jordan 51-yard field goal, 6:52 - OSU 3, USC 3
• USC - Connier 3-yard pass from Green (Jordan kick) 1:54 - USC 10, OSU 3

Second quarter

• USC - Ware 19-yard pass from Green (Jordan kick) - USC 17, OSU 3
• Ohio State - Spangler 46-yard field goal, 0:00 - USC 17, OSU 6

Third quarter

• Ohio State - Spangler 52-yard field goal, 6:37 - USC 17, OSU 9
• USC - Jordan 51-yard field goal, 4:05 - USC 20, OSU 9

Fourth quarter

• Ohio State - Carter 18-yard pass from Tomczak (Tomczak run), 7:34 - USC 20, OSU 17

Tim Green and Jack Del Rio earned the Rose Bowl MVP awards.

Rose Bowl records at the Hall of Champions

Highlights

• Pac-10 finally takes the lead in the series, 20-19
• Pac-10 won 13 out of the last 15 meetings
• Using a swarming defense, USC caused three Mike Tomczak interceptions
• Tomczak threw 37 passes in the game
• Ohio State kicker Rich Spangler scored a record 52-yard field goal
• Steve Jordan had two 51-yard field goals for the Trojans
• Big contribution from Trojans' Tim Green and Timmie Ware, Joe Cormier, Fred Crutcher and Kennedy Pola

References