Out of the all the BCS Bowl games none have been dominated by any one team more than the Rose Bowl has. The most times a team has won the Sugar Bowl is eight. The most times a team has won the Fiesta Bowl is six and the most times anybody has won the Orange Bowl is 11. But one team has won the fourth and final BCS Bowl game, the Rose Bowl, on 22 occasions. These are the teams that have won the Rose Bowl on more than four occasions including the team that has won 22 times.
UCLA Bruins
From UCLA’s first appearance in the Rose Bowl up to 1965 their record in the Rose Bowl was 0 – 5. Finally in 1966 UCLA got their first Rose Bowl win by beating Michigan State 14 – 12. A full ten years later UCLA would return to the Rose Bowl and this time they beat Ohio State. UCLA’s next appearance wouldn’t take as long as they returned in 1983 to beat Michigan 24 – 14. UCLA would make it back to back Rose Bowl wins when they beat Illinois in 1984. UCLA’s final Rose Bowl win was two years later in 1986.
Stanford Cardinals
The Stanford Cardinals played in the very first Rose Bowl in 1902 but lost to Michigan. Stanford would lose again and tie once before finally winning the Rose Bowl in 1928. From 1934 to 1936 Stanford made it to the Rose Bowl three years in a row but only one the last of the three. Five years later Stanford would win the Rose Bowl again, this time against Nebraska. It took 20 years but finally in 1971 the Cardinals won Rose Bowl number four against Ohio State. The following year Stanford won their fifth and final Rose Bowl game.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State didn’t win their first Rose Bowl until 1950 but is still fourth in the most Rose Bowl wins. In 1955 Ohio State won their second Rose Bowl after a 20 – 7 win against USC. In 1958 Rose Bowl won their third Rose Bowl of the decade. Ohio State wouldn’t have as much luck in the 60’s but they did win one Rose Bowl in 1969. In the 70’s Ohio State made five trips to the Rose Bowl but only one once in 1974. Ohio State’s next Rose Bowl win wouldn’t be until 1997 against Jake Plummer’s Arizona State.
Washington Huskies
Washington’s debut in the Rose Bowl was a 14 – 14 tie against Navy in 1924. After three losses Washington would finally win their first Rose Bowl in 1960. Washington would make it two in a row when they defeated Minnesota the following year. Washington would win their next Rose Bowl in 1978 and then again in 1978. Washington would have to wait until 1991 to win again but they would win back to back Rose Bowl wins. Washington’s last Rose Bowl win was in 2001.
Michigan Wolverines
Michigan has the second most Rose Bowl appearances and the second most wins but unfortunately they also have the most Rose Bowl losses. Michigan got off to a good start winning the very first Rose Bowl in 1902. Michigan would have to wait 46 years to get there again but they once again win. Three years later Michigan made it 3 – 0 and in 1965 it became 4 – 0. That’s when the losing began. Michigan would lose their next five Rose Bowl games before finally winning again in 1981. Another two losses came before Michigan beat USC in 1989. Two more losses and then a win over Washington in 1993. Michigan would defeat Washington State in 1998 but has lost three Rose Bowl games since then.
USC Trojans
The Rose Bowl started 105 years ago and in those 105 years the US Trojans have been the Rose Bowl 31 times and won 22 times. USC’s first appearance in the Rose Bowl was at the 9th Rose Bowl, in 1923. In 1930 USC would make it two Rose Bowl wins. One Rose Bowl win was too easy for USC so they started to win Rose Bowl games in pairs. USC would win back to back Rose Bowl games in 1932 and 1933 and then again in 1939 and 1940 and again in 1944 an 1945. It wasn’t until USC’s ninth Rose Bowl appearance that USC finally lost. USC then won again in 1953, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1996, 2004 and 2007. This year USC is in the Rose Bowl once again, hoping to make it win number 23.
