1953 Rose Bowl

The 1953 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1953 at the end of the 1952 college football season. It was the 39th Rose Bowl Game. It was the first-ever Rose Bowl appearance by the Badgers and the first appearance for the Trojans since the 1948 Rose Bowl. This game was also the first-ever game between the two programs. USC defeated Wisconsin, 7–0.

Aftermath
This was the first win by a Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) team over a Big Ten team since the Rose Bowl began its exclusive contract to pair the champions of these two conferences in 1946 (beginning with the 1947 Rose Bowl). The Big Ten had swept the Rose Bowls from 1947 through 1952. This was only the second time in Rose Bowl history that the PCC representative defeated a team from the Big Ten, the only previous win being California's defeat of Ohio State in the 1921 Rose Bowl.

This game featured the fewest points scored in a Rose Bowl since the 0–0 tie in the 1922 Rose Bowl. As of the 2012 Rose Bowl, this game still stands as the second-fewest points ever scored in a Rose Bowl, and the fewest scored since the Rose Bowl started pairing the Big Ten and West (PCC/AAWU) champions for the game. Ironically, the next time these two teams met in a Rose Bowl (1963), they would combine to break the record for the most points ever scored in the game.

USC quarterback Rudy Bukich was named the Rose Bowl Player of the Game. Future Heisman Trophy winner, Wisconsin running back/linebacker Alan Ameche, finished the game with 133 rushing yards on 28 carries.