UCLA vs. Illinois Football History: The 1947 Rose Bowl and Beyond

Introduction

The Rose Bowl, traditionally known as the "Granddaddy of Them All," has a rich history of showcasing the best football talent from across the nation. For many years, the game aimed to pit the top team from the West Coast against a leading team from the rest of the country. This article delves into a significant chapter in Rose Bowl history, focusing on the 1947 game between UCLA and Illinois, and exploring the broader context of college football during that era.

The Pre-War Rose Bowl Landscape

Prior to World War II, the Rose Bowl featured prominent teams from various regions. Alabama, for instance, made six appearances and secured four victories. Other notable participants included Pittsburgh, Duke, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Harvard, and Navy. With only a handful of bowl games available, including the Cotton, Orange, and Sugar Bowls, the Rose Bowl held a unique position in the college football landscape.

Post-War Changes and the 1947 Rose Bowl Agreement

The conclusion of World War II brought significant changes to college football. Returning servicemen, aided by the G.I. Bill, bolstered school rosters. However, conferences differed in their adaptation to the post-war environment. Some Southern teams continued to rely on semi-professional players and maintained segregationist policies, while the Big Nine (later the Big Ten) and the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) championed amateurism and integration.

The 1947 Rose Bowl marked a turning point. It was the first Rose Bowl game that featured teams from the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) and the Big Nine Conference (now the Big Ten). It is known as the first "modern" Rose Bowl, and modern Rose Bowl records date to this game. The game was played on January 1, 1947, and saw the Illinois Fighting Illini defeat the UCLA Bruins with a score of 45-14. The conference tie-ins were defined by the terms of an exclusive five-year agreement. The agreement was renegotiated with the newly formed Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU; later known as the Pacific-8, Pacific-10, and Pac-12) following the disbandment of the PCC in mid-1959.

This game is considered the first "modern" Rose Bowl because it established a formal tie-in between the Big Nine and PCC, solidifying the Rose Bowl's identity as a clash between the Midwest and the West Coast.

The 1947 Rose Bowl: Illinois vs. UCLA

The 1947 Rose Bowl saw the Illinois Fighting Illini dominate the UCLA Bruins. Illinois amassed a then-record 320 rushing yards, dwarfing UCLA's 62. Claude "Buddy" Young and Julius Rykovich were jointly named players of the game.

UCLA's Road to the Rose Bowl

UCLA entered the game with a perfect 10-0 record, having outscored their opponents 313-72. Led by all-conference quarterback Ernie Case, the Bruins boasted a potent offense featuring receivers Burr Baldwin and Tom Fears, along with running backs Cal Rossi, Johnny Roesh, and Gene Rowland. Their offensive line, averaging over 200 pounds per man, had steamrolled through West Coast rivals.

Illinois' Journey to Pasadena

The Fighting Illini's path to the Rose Bowl included a season-opening victory against Pittsburgh, followed by a loss to Notre Dame. Despite a loss to Indiana, Illinois finished strong with wins over Michigan and Ohio State, securing their spot in the Rose Bowl.

Key Players for Illinois

Claude "Buddy" Young was a standout player for Illinois. The 5'4" speedster made an immediate impact as a freshman in 1944, scoring sixty-four and thirty yard touchdowns on his first two touches vs. Illinois State. A 93-yard run two games later against the Great Lakes Naval Training School remains the longest run from scrimmage in Illini history. Young finished the season with thirteen touchdowns, breaking Red Grange's 1924 Big Ten Conference record and landing the freshman on several all-America lists. More impressively, Young claimed NCAA track championships in the 100 and 220-yard dash, and tied world records in the 45 and 60-yard dash. After being drafted into the navy in January 1945 he starred the following fall for the Fleet City California Naval Base football team, almost single-handedly winning the west coast service team championship with three touchdowns, including two kick returns of 93 and 88 yards in front of 65,000 fans at the L.A. Coliseum.

Art Dufelmeier, another key player, shared the backfield with Young. Despite Young and Dufelmeier rushing for over 900 combined yards, Illinois’ only all-conference and all-America selection was right guard Alex Agase. Another tough veteran, Agase had served as a marine in the Pacific. He participated in the amphibious invasions of both Okinawa and Iwo Jima, earning a Purple Heart. Alex's brother Lou played at left tackle.

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Game Highlights and Records

UCLA initially took a 7-6 lead in the first quarter after a quarterback sneak by Ernie Case. However, Illinois quickly took control, scoring 39 unanswered points. Illinois marched sixty yards on their first possession for a score. The rout began with quarterback Perry Moss tossing a 44-yard completion to halfback Julius Rykovich. After a kickoff return set UCLA up at midfield Case responded in kind with a 40-yard strike to his diminutive but elusive halfback Al Hoisch. When the Bruins scored to take an early 7-6 lead the 90,000-strong crowd sensed an epic in the making. Illinois put together scoring drives of sixty and fifty-five yards on its first two possessions of the second quarter. A lineup of mostly second-string players added a fourth Illini score shortly before the break. Hoisch responded with a scintillating 103-kickoff return [still a Rose Bowl record] to keep the score respectable at the interval. But solo efforts, no matter how impressive, could not make up the difference. Young finished another long drive, this time fifty-one yards, with a short scoring run on the first play of the fourth quarter. Russell Steger then ran back a Case interception for a 65-yard defensive touchdown to make the score 38-14. The Illini prevailed in an outright romp, 45-14. Eliot's squad held the Bruins to just twelve first downs and forced six demoralizing turnovers. Most incredibly, the Illini held a team that had run roughshod over the west coast to a paltry sixty-two rushing yards. Only 176 passing yards on 29 attempts from Case afforded any offensive success.

Several records were set during the game:

Illinois set a new Rose Bowl record for most first downs with 28.
Illinois set a new Rose Bowl record for most rushing yards with 320.
UCLA's Al Hoisch had a 103-yard kickoff return, which remains a Rose Bowl record.
Illinois' Russell Steger set a Rose Bowl record for the longest interception return for a touchdown with a 68-yard return.

Scoring Summary

Illinois - Julius Rykovich, one-yard run.
UCLA - Ernie Case, one-yard quarterback sneak.
Illinois - Buddy Young, two-yard run.
Illinois - Paul Patterson four-yard run.
Illinois - Perry Moss one-yard sneak.
UCLA - Al Hoisch returns Maechtle's kickoff 103 yards.
Illinois - Young, one-yard run.
Illinois - Russ Steger, 68-yard interception return.
Illinois - Stan Green, 20-yard interception return.

The Big Ten's Dominance and the Rose Bowl's Evolution

From 1947 to 1961, the Big Ten dominated the Rose Bowl, with teams like Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan State, and Iowa securing victories. This period solidified the Big Ten's reputation on the national stage.

The exclusive agreement between the Big Ten and the PCC remained in place until the 1999 Rose Bowl when the Rose Bowl became part of the Bowl Championship Series. Even after 1998, the Rose Bowl would still attempt to pair a Big Ten and Pac-10 team.

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