What to Know
- The first Tournament of Roses football game, the country's first bowl game, was Jan. 1, 1902, 12 years after the first Rose Parade.
- Football did not make a return to the New Year's Day Tournament of Roses lineup until 1916, when it was permanently reinstated.
- The Rose Bowl game has twice been played outside of Southern California.
- Oregon and Ohio State meet at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on Wednesday in a CFP quarterfinal.
A parade of flower-covered floats and football in the picturesque Rose Bowl are part of a spectacular New Year's Day tradition in Southern California.
This year's Rose Bowl matchup is a quarterfinal of the new 12-team College Football Playoff and features top-seeded Oregon and No. 8-seeded Ohio State.
Before the Ducks and Buckeyes settle business Wednesday afternoon on the field, we tackle how college football became part of the Tournament of Roses New Year's Day tradition and the history behind the often highly entertaining Granddaddy of Them All.
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When was the first Rose Bowl game?
When it comes to New Year's Day in Southern California, both the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game come to mind.
The Rose Parade was initially organized by members of the Valley Hunt Club in 1890 as a way to showcase Southern California in the winter. A parade was held before the hunt club competition with flower-decorated carriages. Instead of football, chariot races, jousting, foot races and a tug-of-war followed the first parades.
The first Tournament of Roses football game, the first bowl game, wasn't until Jan. 1, 1902 -- and it was a blowout. Michigan's 49-0 rout of Stanford at Tournament Park was so lopsided, football was replaced by Roman-style chariot races until 1916, when football was permanently reinstated among Tournament of Roses traditions.
Washington State topped Brown 14-0 in the 1916 game at Tournament Park.
There are now between 30 and 40 college football bowl games at the end of each season, including the Granddaddy of Them All in Pasadena.
First game at the Rose Bowl stadium
In 1923, the game moved to one of college football's most storied and scenic settings -- the Rose Bowl stadium. USC topped Penn State 14-3 that year.
Sports radio first
In 1927, the Rose Bowl game became the first national radio broadcast of a sporting event. Listeners tuned in for an underwhelming 7-7 tie between Stanford and Alabama.
World War II relocation
In 1942, the Rose Bowl game just weeks after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, was moved to Durham, North Carolina due to wartime restrictions on the West Coast. Oregon State defeated Duke 20-16.
Big Ten v. Pac-12 era
It wasn't until 1946 that an exclusive agreement between the Tournament of Roses Association, the Big Ten Conference and the Pac-12 Conference was born. Decades of meetings between champions from the two powerhouse conferences followed with the first game played under the agreement on Jan. 1, 1947. Illinois topped UCLA in a 45-17 rout.
National TV firsts
In 1952, the Rose Bowl game was the first national telecast of a college football game. Ten years later, it became the first national color telecast of a college football game.
No. 1 vs. No. 2 dream matchup
In a Rose Bowl game first, the top two teams in the nation squared off in the 1963 matchup when No. 1 USC took on No. 2 Wisconsin in a high-stakes thriller. The Trojans built a 42-14 lead before 23 unanswered points by the Badgers, then held on to win 42-37.
College Football Playoff era
In 2015, the Rose Bowl game hosted one of two semifinal games in the first College Football Playoff. Oregon clobbered Florida State 59-20. This year, the playoff expanded to 12 teams with the Rose Bowl hosting a quarterfinal. The national champion will be crowned Jan. 20.
Pandemic relocation
In 2021, the game was moved to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most Rose Bowl appearances and wins
Former Pac-12 and current Big Ten Conference member USC holds the record for most Rose Bowl appearances (34) and wins (25). Long-time Big Ten Conference member Michigan is second in both categories (21 appearances, 9 wins).
Highest-scoring Rose Bowl game
USC and Penn State met in a classic in 2017 with the Trojans defeating the Nittany Lions 52-49 in a 101-point shootout. Just one year later Georgia and Oklahoma said, 'Hold my kicking tee.' The Bulldogs and Sooners combined for 102 points in a head-spinning 54-48 Georgia win in double overtime.
When is the 2025 Rose Bowl?
Oregon and Ohio State meet at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The Ducks edged Ohio State 32-31 in October.
How to watch the 2025 Rose Bowl game
The Oregon-Ohio State Rose Bowl contest will be broadcast on ESPN with a stream on WatchESPN.
