A Brief History of the Oregon Ducks and the Rose Bowl.

Okay, I’m going to come clean. There is no way I could have written a long history of the University of Oregon’s involvement in the Tournament of Roses, without conjuring up a major piece of fiction. So, I will stick to the facts and keep it short.

Oregon has been to the Rose Bowl (other than to kick UCLA’s butt during the regular season) four times: 1917, 1920, 1958 and 1995. Then there is the moral equivalent of the Rose Bowl, the 2002 Fiesta Bowl, which capped a great season of being screwed by the BCS. But that is another rant: I mean historical conversation.

So, in 1995, Oregon was beaten by Penn State 38-20. I remember being thankful that it wasn’t an embarrassing loss. I’m old school Oregon… and an embarrassing loss is going down 62-0 to the JV Cheerstaff from Central Oregon Community College. (Not trying to criticize the COCC Cheerstaff.)

In 1958, Oregon lost to Ohio State (boo…hiss) 10-7. History will not repeat itself.

In 1920, the perennial football power, Harvard, beat Oregon 7-6. Most Oregonians are still bitter. Harvard graduates have troubles finding a job in Portland to this very day.

Ahh, but 1917 was the glory year. The Ducks beat back the nasty Quakers from Penn, 14-0. Few people could afford to get to Pasadena, but everyone in Eugene was glued to their television to watch the game. When the broadcast was done, everyone ran out into the streets and partied til the wee hours of the morning. Or, at least, that is what I have been told.

No, I wasn’t there.