1976 Rose Bowl The 1976 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1 , 1976 . It was the 62nd Rose Bowl Game . The UCLA Bruins defeated the number one ranked and undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes 23 - 10 . UCLA quarterback John Sciarra was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game . This was the first post season that football teams from the Big Ten Conference and Pacific - 10 Conference could appear in other bowl games since the Rose Bowl agreement was signed for the 1947 Rose Bowl . This game marked Ohio State coach Woody Hayes ' last appearance in the Rose Bowl game . Teams . This was the second meeting between the two schools that season . Ohio State handed UCLA its first loss of the season , 41 - 20 , on October 4 , 1975 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum . After the game , Woody Hayes prophetically told his team that they would be facing UCLA again in the Rose Bowl . UCLA was the only opponent to score more than 14 points in a game all season against Ohio State , and they did it twice . Ohio State Buckeyes . Ohio State Buckeye coach Woody Hayes brought an undefeated team featuring two - time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin to Pasadena . It was the record fourth consecutive appearance for Hayes . It was also eighth and final appearance in the Rose Bowl for Hayes . It was a record fourth and final Rose Bowl start for Griffin . Until Brian Cushing of USC started in his fourth Rose Bowl in the 2009 Rose Bowl , Griffin was the only player to start in four Rose Bowls . Ohio State capped an undefeated regular season by defeating Michigan 21 - 14 in Ann Arbor for Woody ' s last outright Big Ten championship , and also his last victory over Michigan in the Michigan - Ohio State rivalry . The Wolverines held the Buckeyes 30 minutes without a score . Tied at 14 - 14 , the Wolverines needed a win to advance to the Rose Bowl . Freshman Michigan quarterback Rick Leach threw an interception caught by Ray Griffin , which was run to the 3 yard line . Big Pete Johnson ran it in for the winning touchdown . Michigan , which finished the regular season 8 - 1 - 2 , was invited to the Orange Bowl to face # 3 ranked Oklahoma . UCLA Bruins . It was the only Rose Bowl appearance for Dick Vermeil in only his second season coaching at UCLA . He would leave to coach the Philadelphia Eagles after the season . In addition to the 41 - 20 Ohio State loss , UCLA had also lost at home to Washington 17 - 13 and was tied by Air Force 20 - 20 , but managed to win all their other Pac - 8 games , including a fumble - plagued 25 - 22 win over cross town rival USC in the UCLA - USC rivalry to clinch the Rose Bowl berth . In that Friday night after Thanksgiving game , UCLA fumbled 11 times and lost 8 of them , but their maligned defense bailed them out time and time again . UCLA ended up tied with California for the Pac - 8 championship , but advanced to the Rose Bowl on the strength of their 28 - 14 win in an October matchup with the Golden Bears . The 1975 USC - UCLA game was legendary coach John McKay ' s final game at the Coliseum . Game summary . Both teams wore their home uniforms , Ohio State in scarlet jerseys , and UCLA in powderkeg blue jerseys . The weather was clear and 60 degrees . In the game itself , Ohio State dominated the first half but could only muster the 3 points that it got on its opening possession . UCLA did not even pick up a first down until late in the 2nd quarter , but a couple of Ohio State turnovers and a key stop on 4th and 1 by the Bruin defense kept them in the game . The second half saw UCLA open up its offense , utilizing play action and passing on first down . This helped open up their veer option rushing attack , and on their first possession of the 3rd quarter , UCLA marched to a tying field goal . After stopping Ohio State , UCLA then marched for a touchdown and a 9 - 3 lead ( the extra point was missed ) . After stopping the Buckeyes again , the Bruins struck for the big play , a 67 yard touchdown pass from John Sciarra to speedy flanker Wally Henry . Suddenly the 15½ point underdog Bruins were up 16 - 3 . Ohio State , which inexplicably began passing the ball with regularity , returned to its dominating ground attack and scored early in the 4th quarter to cut UCLA ' s lead to 16 - 10 . Ohio State got the ball right back , but again tried to resume an air attack . Quarterback Cornelius Greene was intercepted by Pat Schmidt , and on the ensuing possession with just under 5 minutes to play , running back Wendell Tyler took an option pitchout , sped up the sideline , cut back at the perfect instant , and held the ball aloft as he crossed the goal line on a 54 yard run to clinch the game , 23 - 10 . Another Greene interception killed any chance of a Buckeye last gasp comeback attempt . Woody Hayes then trudged across the field to congratulate Vermeil before the game was over . Scoring . Second quarter . None Aftermath . Woody Hayes had a very short meeting with the press in which he stated , " We got outcoached and just got beat . " Aware of the Buckeye loss , the 1975 Oklahoma Sooners played for the number 1 ranking in the 1976 Orange Bowl , with Alabama lurking after already beating Penn State in the Sugar Bowl 13 - 6 . Texas A & M , ranked # 2 at the end of the regular season , lost to Arkansas for the Cotton Bowl berth , and then to USC in the Liberty Bowl . Oklahoma would finish # 1 in the AP poll after defeating Michigan 14 - 6 in the Orange Bowl . Ohio State would finish 3rd , and UCLA Fifth . Woody Hayes would finish with a 4 - 4 record in the Rose Bowl , and would be denied by Bo Schembechler , Rick Leach , and the rest of the Michigan Wolverines from reaching the Rose Bowl ever again . Dick Vermeil was able to move to the Philadelphia Eagles , whom he would lead to the Super Bowl in five years . This was the second time UCLA had defeated the # 1 team in the Rose Bowl after having lost to that same team during the season . The other time was in the 1966 Rose Bowl vs . Michigan State . In " The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia " , this loss is listed as one of the most devastating setbacks in Ohio State football history . By the 1982 college football season , UCLA would make the Rose Bowl their home stadium , moving from the Los Angeles Coliseum . As of 2008 , the attendance of 105 , 464 still stands as the largest crowd to ever watch a UCLA football game in the Rose Bowl stadium . It is a record that is not likely to be broken , as the Rose Bowl seating has been reduced to 91 , 136 for UCLA Bruins Football and 92 , 542 for the Rose Bowl Game