Top 10 Greatest Rose Bowl Games

You talk about marathons, and this was it. Long before the epic overtime games we see today, the 1963 Rose Bowl featured an incredible shootout. USC first drew blood as quarterback Pete Beathard threw a touchdown pass to Ron Butcher, building a 42-14 lead. At that point, much of the capacity crowd was heading for the exits.

Then, Wisconsin came alive in the 4th quarter when Ron Vander Kelen led them to 23 unanswered points, breaking several Rose Bowl records. However, their final drive fell just short in a wild and unforgettable finish.

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This time, there was no dispute or controversy like last year. USC's Charles White scored a clean touchdown, which was arguably the play of the 1979 college football postseason. White left USC as a college football legend. Oh my.

Dubbed "The Game That Changed the South," this matchup would forever alter the Rose Bowl. Alabama, led by Johnny Mack Brown (who would later become a Hollywood actor), announced its arrival to the college football world.

It was also the first Rose Bowl broadcast nationwide on radio. Listeners across the country heard the Crimson Tide make a powerful statement with their victory, which changed the landscape of college football forever.

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Ohio State was expected to be there, but Arizona State was not. Yet, Jake Plummer led the team to a surprising 11-0 record and a shot at the national championship.

Throughout the game, Ohio State was in a battle. In the final two minutes, despite rainy conditions, Plummer led Arizona State to a potential victory with an 11-yard touchdown run. But Ohio State rallied back as Joe Germaine threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to David Boston, sealing the win for Ohio State.

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While World War II raged on, America continued with sports, even as the 1940 Winter and Summer Olympics were canceled. These games took place on the gridiron, where Nebraska made its first-ever bowl appearance.

Nebraska delivered a memorable goal-line stand against Stanford, stopping them after four attempts at the end zone. However, later in the game, Stanford got a second chance. Pete Kmetovic returned a punt 39 yards for the clinching touchdown, securing the win for Stanford.

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What a thrilling game, especially in overtime.