The first USC-Ohio State Rose Bowl was a high point for Woody Hayes
In the 1970s, USC learned how to beat Woody Hayes and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. In the 1950s, the Trojans weren’t ready just yet. In the 1955 Rose Bowl, USC was not at the height of its powers, while Ohio State had a rising young coach who was hitting his stride. The Buckeyes also had the best player on the field.
Those advantages mattered.
The USC Trojans lost to Ohio State, 20-7, on New Year’s Day in 1955. Jess Hill was a good coach for the Trojans, but he wasn’t Woody Hayes. He also wasn’t John McKay. That’s not a criticism, merely a fact. Not everyone is a legend. Ohio State had the legends in that 1955 Granddaddy. Hayes was the elite coach, and Howard “Hopalong” Cassady was his star running back. Cassady was a brilliant player in 1954. He then came back to Columbus and won the Heisman Trophy in 1955. USC did not have the better team or players. OSU did.
USC finished 8-4 in the 1954 season, having made the Rose Bowl for the second time in the past three seasons under Hill.
Ohio State finished the year with a 10-0 record, the first of two occasions in which OSU produced a perfect record and won the national championship in the same season under Hayes. The Buckeye icon also produced a perfect record with the Buckeyes in 1968.
