After California's third straight Rose Bowl loss in 1951, the Pacific Coast Conference disallowed consecutive appearances. The first PCC program adversely affected was UCLA; the undefeated and second-ranked1954 team was ineligible for the 1955 Rose Bowl; it would have been the second of three consecutive. The rule was dropped by the succeeding AAWU (Big Five) in 1959 (Washington won in 1960 and 1961), but the Big Ten kept it from the late 1940s until the early 1970s.
The Pac-8 (and Big Ten) did not allow multiple bowl teams until the 1975 season, in which the Bruins won the Rose Bowl. In twelve Rose Bowl appearances, UCLA has won five (.417), with three streaks: five losses, five wins, and currently two losses. The last victory was in January 1986 (third in four years), and the most recent appearance was in 1999.
Note: UCLA also played in the 1939 Pineapple Bowl, beating Hawaii W 32–7. However, the NCAA does not consider it a Major Bowl, and therefore does not count it towards a team's bowl record as it was a pre-scheduled game.[9]
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The 33rd Rose Bowl featured the 10-0 UCLA Bruins, led by head coach Ray Eliot, and the 7-2 Illinois Fighting Illini, led by head coach Bert LaBrucherie. UCLA lost the game, 14-45, they were favored to win by 14 points. Illinois rushed for a combined 320 yards, a then Rose Bowl record (Harrison 2018).[10] UCLA Bruins kick returner, and member of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, Al Hoisch, returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown, a current Rose Bowl record (Bowman).[11]
In the fourth quarter, the Bruins recovered another Spartan fumble and scored to make the score 21–20. But the extra point kick failed. Billy Wells of Michigan State returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown with 4:51 left in the game.
The 72nd Rose Bowl Game played on January 1, 1986. Between The UCLA Bruins upset the Iowa Hawkeyes. The UCLA Bruins upset the Iowa Hawkeyes 45–28. UCLA tailback Eric Ball was named the Player Of The Game. He ran for a Rose Bowl record four touchdowns and was MVP of the game. The game Attendance was 103,292.
The weather was 73 degrees and hazy. UCLA receiver J. J. Stokes set Rose Bowl records for receptions (14) and receiving yards (176). Brent Moss gashed the UCLA defense for 158 rushing yards and 2 TDs.
First quarter scoring: UCLA — Bjorn Merten 27-yard field goal; Wisconsin — Brent Moss three-yard run (Rick Schnetzky kick)
Second quarter scoring: Wisconsin — Moss one-yard run (Schnetzky kick)
Third quarter scoring: No Scoring
Fourth quarter scoring: UCLA — Ricky Davis 12-yard run (Merten kick); Wisconsin — Darrell Bevell 21-yard run (Schnetzky kick); UCLA — Mike Nguyen five-yard pass from Wayne Cook (2-point conversion pass failed)
On February 8, 2010, Florida State University agreed to accept NCAA sanctions against its athletic programs, and agreed to vacate 12 football victories, including the 2006 Emerald Bowl victory over UCLA. Florida State has stated their intention to return the championship trophy.[23]
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "Bowl/All-Star Game Records"(PDF). 2011 NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA.org. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
"UCLA's bowl tradition"(PDF). 2011 UCLA Football Media Guide. UCLA. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
^"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived(PDF) from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)