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University of Minnesota Athletics
Looking Back At The 1962 Rose Bowl
12/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
The 1961 Gophers squad that won the 1962 Rose Bowl
Holiday Bowl Info
On Jan. 1, 1962 the Gophers picked up their first ever win in the state of California with a 21-3 Rose Bowl victory over UCLA. That was also the last time Minnesota was ever in California for a bowl game.
The Pasadena trip was the second one in as many years for the Maroon and Gold marking the first team in Big Ten history to play in consecutive Rose Bowls. They returned six starters from that team, were led by veteran quarterback Sandy Stephens and had a stingy defense. They also had All-American tackle Bobby Bell who will be inducted into the Rose Ball Hall of Fame this year.
Stephens broke six records in the season while the defense only allowed a record 84.3 yards rushing per game. They did this with a schedule that pitted them against six teams that were ranked in the top ten nationally at one point throughout the season.
The season was called one of the most surprising in Minnesota history. After dropping their opening game of the year to Missouri the Gophers ripped off seven straight wins including four straight victories over Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Purdue. Winning all four of those games was considered an impossible task by coaches at the start of the season.
To the outside getting back to the Rose Bowl seemed like a big accomplishment but the Gophers still had the 17-7 loss to Washington the year before on their minds. They returned to Pasadena focused and ready to avenge the loss. Murray Warmath prepared his team with physical and intense practices.
The start of the game looked like it might be Deja vu for the Gophers when UCLA, like Washington the year before, scored first in the game with a field goal in front of the 98,214 roaring fans that filled the stadium. That field goal would be the only similarity to the year before as the smothering Minnesota defense did not allow another score the rest of the day.
The Gophers swung momentum later in the quarter forcing and recovering a fumble at the UCLA six-yard line. Three plays later Stephens punched in the go-ahead touchdown. The second touchdown came at the hands of Bill Munsey who capped off a 70-yard drive with his touchdown run. Stephens added an insurance touchdown on a keeper after a 19 play 84-yard drive. On that drive the Gophers only threw the ball twice.
The win was a remarkable one for the Gophers. This year's squad will be looking for a similar result when they head back to California for the Holiday Bowl against Washington State on Dec. 27.
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