1932 Rose Bowl

1932 Rose Bowl
18th Rose Bowl Game
National Championship Game[1]
USC Trojans Tulane Green Wave
(9–1) (11–0)
PCC SoCon
21 12
Head coach: 
Howard Jones		 Head coach: 
Bernie Bierman
1234 Total
USC 07140 21
Tulane 0066 12
DateJanuary 1, 1932
Season1931
StadiumRose Bowl Stadium
LocationPasadena, California
MVPErny Pinckert (HB) – USC
Attendance75,562
Rose Bowl
 < 1931  1933 > 
College Football Championship Game
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The 1932 Rose Bowl was the 18th Rose Bowl game, an American post-season college football game that was played on New Year's Day 1932 in Pasadena, California. It featured the Tulane Green Wave against the USC Trojans.[2] The Trojans had six All-Americans in their lineup: tackle Ernie Smith, guards Johnny Baker and Aaron "Rosy" Rosenberg, halfback Erny Pinckert and quarterbacks Orville Mohler and Gaius Shaver.[3]

The game was a true national championship game, with Tulane ranked No. 1 and USC No. 2 in the preliminary ballot of the Erskine poll of 250 sportswriters.[1] It was decided that their matchup in the Rose Bowl would determine the result.[1] The Albert Russel Erskine Trophy was presented to victorious USC on the field following the game.[4] The Dickinson System's Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy also went to the winner of the game.[5][6]

  1. ^ a b c Written at New York. "Rose Bowl Winner Will be Awarded Erskine Trophy". The Tampa Times. Tamp, Florida. December 26, 1931. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  2. ^ 2009 Kickoff Luncheon and Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Induction program
  3. ^ Rose Bowl Game Timeline Archived May 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Pasadena Tournament of Roses
  4. ^ "Trojans Get Erskine 1931 Grid Award". Los Angeles Times. January 2, 1932. Retrieved May 17, 2022. Southern California's 21–12 victory over Tulane brought the Trojans the Albert Russell Erskine football trophy and the national grid championship for 1931. Presentation of the trophy was made in front of the Trojan rooting section following the game by William R. Moorehouse, member of the Erskine award board. The Erskine award brought a Studebaker President eight sedan to Coach Howard Jones, an engraved cup to the University of Southern California and a scroll signifying the national championship to the Trojan team.
  5. ^ Written at Champaign, Illinois. "Trojans Request Delay — Rockne Memorial Trophy to Be Accepted After Tulane Game". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Associated Press. December 15, 1931. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Written at Los Angeles. "USC Will Be Awarded Rockne Cup — Dr. Frank G. Dickinson to Present Trophy to Rose Bowl Winners". The Tacoma Daily Ledger. Tacoma, Washington. Associated Press. January 4, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2024. The ratings made long in advance of the Tournament of Roses game New Year's day placed Southern California first and Tulane second but when these two teams met in a 'natural' Rose bowl game, it was decided that if Tulane could overrule Dickinson's rating, he would stand corrected and give the trophy to the New Orleans lads.