The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-01-08
Badger Defeat Hits
Big Ten Pride
BY Lou Fahro
Times Sports Editor

The 44-8 beating which Wisconsin suffered at the
hands of an inspired Washington football team in the
1860 Rose Bowl was a major blow to Big Ten pride.
To make the topic a controversial one, the humilI-
ating defeat indicates that Big Ten teams were sub
par during the 1859 season. And to stifle charges
that this is an excuse for the one-Sided loss, we'll say
further that Big Ten football isn't always the toughest
in the country.
To digreSs a bit, it has been a favorite argument
of midwest sports writer's that the toughest teams and
the toughest brand of football are in the Midwest
every year. These writer's often looked down on other
football powers-particularly in the South-pointing
out that they pad their victory columns with games
against "easy" opponents.
AS an example, several years ago, when Auburn
got the nod over Ohio State as the national champion,
anguished cries were heard that the Buckeyes were
sighted. Ohio State was real tough that year, but so
was Auburn.
Big Ten football is tough. No doubt about it.
However, midwesterners shouldn't be so provincial
and think that football in other sections OF the country
isn't as tough or tougher.
In recent wears, football in the South and South
west has grown real big and tough. Just look at
Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana State, If you aren't
convinced.
Getting back to the 1860 Rose Bowl game, the
battle was to be a close one with Wisconsin emerging
as the winner.
AS il happened, the most Iop-sided score OF New
Years Day was recorded in the Rose Bowl, with Wis.
eonsin, winner of the Big Ten Conference, on the short
end of The score.
Although one game doesn't make a season, the
Wisconsin defeat was such a decisive one that the
contest could serve as a gauge. This gauge indicates
that since Wisconsin was the Big Ten champ, the con-
ference certainly was not as tough as IN years past.
To bolster this argument, it might be noted that
Washington was not undisputed champ In the Far
West. In fact Washington finished in a three-way tie
for the title with Southern California and UCLA. How
ever, Washington had an overall 81 record as COM
pared to UCLA's SO mark and Southern CALIFORNIA;
80 record.
On the other hand, the Badgers were undisputed
Big Ten champions with a So record. This was their
first undisputed Big Ten title since 1912 but it was
the first time in Big Ten history that a championship
team had suffered two league losses.
Some observers commented that Wisconsin was
lucky TO win the title since the Badgers looked pretty
ragged at the end of the season. Even SO, what Big
Ten would have stopped Washington?
Purdue hung the worst defeat on Wisconsin dur
ing the season by banking the Badgers, 2l-0. Purdue
finished in a third place tie with Illinois and the
nlini tagged Wisconsin with its other defeat, SO.
However, Purdue lost to Ohio State, $50 and to
Michigan State by the same score. Illinois and Purdue
battled to a TT tie. Illinois beat Ohio State, go, but
lost to Indiana, 200, and to Michigan, 20-15.
How about second place Michigan State? Well,
the Spartans lost TO Iowa, 37-s and TO Ohio State, 3024.
Wisconsin beat Iowa, 25-I6, and Ohio State, 1913. Also,
the Spartans were shocked in their last game, a non
league bout, by Miami, tFIa.A, 1912.
This could go on and on.
To repeat, Wisconsin was the Big Ten champ.
The Badgers clinched the title in the last game by
beating but not by o~utplaying - Minnesota, 1T.
If the reader isn't convinced yet that Big Ten
football was a little under par last season, consider
that Wisconsin Coach Milt Bruhn said just before the
Rose Bowl game that the Big Ten champion Badgers
were stronger and in better condition than they we're
in the last game of the season. He could have been
wrong. but