The 1958 Rose Bowl was the 44th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Wednesday, January 1, 1958. The Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference defeated the Oregon Ducks (then known as the Webfoots) of the Pacific Coast Conference by a score of 10–7.
Background: Ohio State entered the game heavily favored (by up to three touchdowns) with an eight-game winning streak after dropping their season opener to TCU. They were ranked first in the Coaches' Poll and second in the AP Poll. Oregon came into the game having just lost its Civil War rivalry game to Oregon State, which created a tie for the Pacific Coast Conference championship. Due to a no-repeat rule in the PCC (Oregon State had appeared in the 1957 Rose Bowl), Oregon received the invitation. It was Oregon's first Rose Bowl appearance since 1920.
Game Summary: Ohio State took the opening possession 79 yards, capped by a one-yard run by quarterback Frank Kremblas, to take a 7–0 lead. Oregon tied the game in the second quarter with a 5-yard run from Jim Shanley after an 80-yard, 10-play drive. The score remained 7–7 into the second half. With 5:20 left in the third quarter, Oregon kicker Jack Morris missed a 34-yard field goal attempt. Early in the fourth quarter, Ohio State's Don Sutherin successfully kicked a 34-yard field goal, giving the Buckeyes a 10–7 lead. Oregon had a late opportunity but Jack Crabtree's fourth-down pass to Ron Stover fell incomplete with 47 seconds remaining.
Notable Facts:
- Oregon quarterback Jack Crabtree was named the Rose Bowl Player of the Game, one of only two players in Rose Bowl history from a losing team to win the award outright (the other being Benny Lom of California in 1929).
- Oregon outgained Ohio State 351 yards to 304 and made 21 first downs to Ohio State's 19.
- Ron Stover had 10 receptions for 144 receiving yards, establishing a new record for PCC participants.
- Attendance was 98,202.
- The game was televised by NBC in black and white, with announcers Mel Allen and Chick Hearn.
- Ohio State's final No. 1 ranking in the Coaches' Poll earned the Buckeyes a share of the national championship (Auburn held the No. 1 AP ranking but was on probation and ineligible for a bowl game).
- This was the last bowl meeting between Ohio State and Oregon until the 2010 Rose Bowl.
