On January 1, 2007, the University of Southern California Trojans and the University of Michigan Wolverines faced off in one of college football's most memorable games—the 93rd Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California. This historic game was the first time since 1977 that two teams from the same conference had met in the Rose Bowl, and it quickly became a classic. Let’s take a look back at this epic battle that was the USC vs Michigan Rose Bowl Game.
The Pre-Game Hype
This game was a matchup between two of college football's bluebloods—the USC Trojans and the Michigan Wolverines. USC had gone into this season as the defending National Champions, and they were looking to become just the second team ever to win three consecutive National Championships. Meanwhile, Michigan had gone 11-1 in 2006 and was hoping to pull off an upset against their West Coast rivals. Needless to say, expectations for this game were high, with both teams entering with top 10 rankings in both polls.
The iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California was filled with excitement on New Year's Day 2007 as the University of Southern California Trojans took on the University of Michigan Wolverines in the 93rd Rose Bowl Game, where USC emerged victorious with a 32-18 win due to strong performances by wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett and outside linebacker Brian Cushing.
The Game Itself
The USC-Michigan matchup was highly anticipated leading up to the game as both teams were ranked within the top 5. USC had been undefeated all season long, while Michigan had only lost once—to highly ranked Ohio State. After an intense 4 quarters, USC emerged victorious with a final score of 32-18. The victory sealed USC’s 12th national championship and their fourth consecutive Pac-10 title under head coach Pete Carroll.
The game itself was every bit as exciting as expected. Both teams came out firing on offense, with USC quarterback John David Booty throwing for 391 yards and four touchdowns while Michigan quarterback Chad Henne threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns. In terms of defense, it was a tale of two halves; USC held Michigan scoreless in the first half while Michigan held USC scoreless in the second half. Ultimately, it was USC who emerged victorious with a 32-18 win over their Big Ten rivals.
For fans of college football history, this game will always be remembered as one of the great matchups between these two storied programs. For casual fans who may have tuned in just hoping to see some good football, they got that too—as well as a glimpse into why these two teams have such passionate fanbases even today.
The 93rd Rose Bowl Game between USC and Michigan was one for the ages—and it will be remembered as one of college football's greatest contests for years to come. Both sides put forth incredible efforts but it was ultimately USC who emerged victorious thanks to impressive performances from Dwayne Jarrett, Kevin Ellison, and John David Booty who lead their team to glory on New Year's Day 2007. If you're looking for some classic sports nostalgia then this is a must-watch! Go Trojans!
To see more pictures of the 2007 Rose Bowl Game, click here.