1952 Rose Bowl

1952 Rose Bowl was the 38th edition of the Rose Bowl Game, played between the Big Ten Conference champion Illinois Fighting Illini and the Pacific Coast Conference champion Stanford Cardinal on New Year's Day at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The game was broadcast on NBC and CBS and was attended by a crowd of over 96,000 spectators, including notable figures such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry S. Truman, and Douglas MacArthur. The Illinois Fighting Illini were led by coach Ray Eliot, who had previously coached at University of Illinois and had played for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League. The Stanford Cardinal were led by coach Chuck Taylor, who had previously coached at Stanford University and had played for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League.

● Game Summary

The game was a closely contested match between the two teams, with the Illinois Fighting Illini ultimately emerging victorious with a score of 40-7. The Stanford Cardinal were led by quarterback Gary Kerkorian, who had previously played for Stanford University and had been drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 1951 NFL Draft. The Illinois Fighting Illini were led by running back William Tate, who had previously played for University of Illinois and had been drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1951 NFL Draft. The game was marked by a strong performance by the Illinois Fighting Illini defense, which held the Stanford Cardinal to just 7 points, including a notable tackle by Illinois linebacker Tommy O'Connell, who had previously played for University of Illinois and had been drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1951 NFL Draft. The Rose Bowl was filled with notable figures, including Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, and James Stewart, as well as politicians such as Richard Nixon and Adlai Stevenson.

● Teams

The Illinois Fighting Illini were the Big Ten Conference champions, having finished the regular season with a record of 9-0-1, including wins over Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. The team was led by coach Ray Eliot, who had previously coached at University of Illinois and had played for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League. The Stanford Cardinal were the Pacific Coast Conference champions, having finished the regular season with a record of 9-1, including wins over California, USC, and Oregon. The team was led by coach Chuck Taylor, who had previously coached at Stanford University and had played for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League. Notable players for the Illinois Fighting Illini included running back William Tate, who had previously played for University of Illinois and had been drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1951 NFL Draft, and quarterback Babe Parilli, who had previously played for Kentucky and had been drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1951 NFL Draft. Notable players for the Stanford Cardinal included quarterback Gary Kerkorian, who had previously played for Stanford University and had been drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 1951 NFL Draft, and running back John Brodie, who had previously played for Stanford University and had been drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1951 NFL Draft.

● Scoring

The scoring in the game was as follows: Illinois scored 14 points in the first quarter, 13 points in the second quarter, 6 points in the third quarter, and 7 points in the fourth quarter, for a total of 40 points. Stanford scored 0 points in the first quarter, 0 points in the second quarter, 0 points in the third quarter, and 7 points in the fourth quarter, for a total of 7 points. The Illinois Fighting Illini scored on a variety of plays, including a touchdown pass from quarterback Babe Parilli to wide receiver Jim Baughman, who had previously played for University of Illinois and had been drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1951 NFL Draft. The Stanford Cardinal scored on a touchdown pass from quarterback Gary Kerkorian to wide receiver Bill McColl, who had previously played for Stanford University and had been drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1951 NFL Draft. The game was marked by a strong performance by the Illinois Fighting Illini special teams unit, which included a notable kickoff return by Illinois return specialist J.C. Caroline, who had previously played for University of Illinois and had been drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1951 NFL Draft.

● Statistics

The statistics for the game were as follows: Illinois had 22 first downs, 194 rushing yards, and 172 passing yards, for a total of 366 yards. Stanford had 10 first downs, 73 rushing yards, and 101 passing yards, for a total of 174 yards. The Illinois Fighting Illini were led in rushing by running back William Tate, who had 74 yards on 14 carries, and in passing by quarterback Babe Parilli, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 172 yards. The Stanford Cardinal were led in rushing by running back John Brodie, who had 34 yards on 10 carries, and in passing by quarterback Gary Kerkorian, who completed 7 of 15 passes for 101 yards. The game was marked by a strong performance by the Illinois Fighting Illini defense, which held the Stanford Cardinal to just 174 total yards, including a notable sack by Illinois defensive end Don Stevens, who had previously played for University of Illinois and had been drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1951 NFL Draft.

● Aftermath

The 1952 Rose Bowl was a significant victory for the Illinois Fighting Illini, who finished the season with a record of 10-0-1 and were ranked #4 in the final AP Poll. The game was also notable for the strong performance by the Illinois Fighting Illini defense, which held the Stanford Cardinal to just 7 points. The Stanford Cardinal finished the season with a record of 9-2 and were ranked #7 in the final AP Poll. The game was attended by a crowd of over 96,000 spectators, including notable figures such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry S. Truman, and Douglas MacArthur. The Rose Bowl was filled with notable figures, including Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, and James Stewart, as well as politicians such as Richard Nixon and Adlai Stevenson. The game was broadcast on NBC and CBS and was watched by millions of viewers across the United States. The 1952 Rose Bowl was also notable for the strong performance by the Illinois Fighting Illini special teams unit, which included a notable kickoff return by Illinois return specialist J.C. Caroline, who had previously played for University of Illinois and had been drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1951 NFL Draft.