The Rose Bowl
For years the Rose Bowl was the ultimate goal of Ohio State, Michigan and the rest of the Big Ten, a reward for a season of winning. The Big Ten champion has gone to Pasadena every year since 1946, and until the mid-70's was the ONLY bowl destination for Big Ten teams. In these day of 6-5 bowl bids, it seems odd to think that only 25 or so years ago, an undefeated Michigan team which had played undefeated Ohio State to a stalemate spent the holidays at home. That's what happened, however. The Big Ten athletic directors voted 6-4 to send the Buckeyes, in one of the most controversial decisions in conference history. Michigan, ranked #6 in the final AP poll sat at home and watched on TV as #2 Ohio State walloped #8 USC 42-21. Shortly thereafter, The Big Ten allowed another team to accept a Bowl bid, and Michigan ended their 1975 season in Miami in the Orange Bowl.
Now, the ultimate goal is the Fiesta Bowl, or Sugar Bowl, or whatever bowl game is hosting the National Championship that season. But the Rose Bowl will always have special meaning to anyone who has followed Big Ten football for more than a few years.

The Rose Bowl for the 1994 game. In the spirit of neutrality, neither Ohio State nor Michigan played this year. Big Ten champ Penn State whipped Oregon, though.

The years given are the season, the Rose Bowl game was played on January 1st of the next year. (M-OSU result)

Overall Rose Bowl records
Michigan Wolverines 8-9
Ohio State Buckeyes 6-7

1997: Michigan 21, Washington State 16 (M 20, OSU 17)
1996: Ohio State 20, Arizona State 17 (M 13, OSU 9)
1992: Michigan 38, Washington 31 (OSU 13, M 13)
1991: Washington 34, Michigan 14 (M 31, OSU 3)
1989: USC 17, Michigan 10 (M 28, OSU 18)
1988: Michigan 22, USC 0 (M 34, OSU 31)
1986: Arizona State 22, Michigan 15 (M 26, OSU 24)
1984: USC 20, Ohio State 17 (OSU 21, M 6)
1982: UCLA 24, Michigan 14 (OSU 24, M 14)
1980: Michigan 23, Washington 6 (M 9, OSU 3)
1979: USC 17, Ohio State 16 (OSU 18, M 15)
1978: USC 17, Michigan 10 (M 14, OSU 3)
1977: Washington 27, Michigan 20 (M 14, OSU 6)
1976: USC 14, Michigan 6 (M 22, OSU 0)
1975: UCLA 23, Ohio State 10 (OSU 21, M 14)
1974: USC 18, Ohio State 17 (OSU 12, M 10)
1973: Ohio State 42, USC 21 (OSU 10, M 10)
1972: USC 42, Ohio State 17 (OSU 14, M 11)
1971: Stanford 13, Michigan 12 (M 10, OSU 7)
1970: Stanford 27, Ohio State 17 (OSU 20, M 9)
1969: USC 10, Michigan 3 (M 24, OSU 12)
1968: Ohio State 27, USC 16 (OSU 50, M 14)
1964: Michigan 34, Oregon State 7 (M 10, OSU 0)
1957: Ohio State 10, Oregon 7 (OSU 31, M 14)
1954: Ohio State 20, USC 7 (OSU 21, M 7)
1950: Michigan 14, California 6 (M 9, OSU 3)
1949: Ohio State 17, California 14 (OSU 7, M 7)
1947: Michigan 49, USC 0 (M 21, OSU 0)
1920: California 28, Ohio State 0 (OSU 14, M 7)
1901: Michigan 49, Stanford 0 (M 21, OSU 0)