From the Archives: UCLA loses 1947 Rose Bowl
The Bruins, Pacific Coast Conference champions, were favored by as many as three touchdowns over the Big Nine champion Illinois Fighting Illini. But with backs Buddy Young and Julie Rykovich running wild, Illinois crushed UCLA 45-14.
Los Angeles Times Sports Editor Paul Zimmerman reported:
Illinois' underrated football team inundated the desperate Bruins of U.C.L.A. with a flood of seven touchdowns to win the 33rd annual Rose Bowl football classic at Pasadena yesterday by a smashing score of 45 to 13.
Into defeat with the Bruins went most of the so-called grid experts, including yours truly, as the Fightin' Illini lived up to the fullest meaning of their name before a startled and wild-cheering capacity throng of 93,083 spectators.
While Illinois rushed for 320 yards — at the time a Rose Bowl record — the Bruins' Hoisch returned one of the Illinois kickoffs 103 yards for a touchdown, a current Rose Bowl record.
This post was originally published on Dec. 28, 2010.
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