What happened last time Indiana football visited the Rose Bowl? IU legends look back

BLOOMINGTON — Former Indiana football player Eric Stolberg has been itching to get back to the Rose Bowl Stadium for years.

It’s why he was cheering on the Big Ten’s expansion plans every step of the way.

Stolberg, who currently resides in Bloomington, thought the Hoosiers making a trip out west would provide the perfect excuse to get back to the site of the 1968 Rose Bowl, and maybe reunite with a few former teammates in the process.

He booked a flight once the conference finalized the 2024 schedule that included the first ever matchup between IU and UCLA.

“I haven’t been back since we played,” Stolberg said, in a recent phone interview with The Herald-Times. “I’ve been telling guys for years we should meet up, but it’s hard with everyone scattered across the country. I just felt like I had to do it, and experience it one more time.”

Stolberg was a receiver on the ‘67 Hoosiers that went to the Rose Bowl that season to face No. 1 USC with Heisman candidate O.J. Simpson in the backfield. They remain the only team in program history to play in the prestigious postseason game and are also the last IU team to win a Big Ten title.

The stakes won’t be as high on Saturday, but the venue still conjures memories of the Cardiac Kids and their special place in IU history.

More: What happened last time Indiana football visited the Rose Bowl? IU legends look back

Indiana’s Terry Cole runs 63 yards for a touchdown during the Hoosiers’ 19-14 victory over Purdue on Nov. 25, 1967. The win earned IU its only Rose Bowl bid. Larry Crewell | Herald-Times

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/happened-last-time-indiana-football-080234190.html

Author : The Herald-Times

Publish date : 2024-09-13 08:02:34

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