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Each week, Gameday+ takes a look at an Ohio State game played on this date:

Jan. 2, 1950

Ohio State 17, California 14

 Setup // Twenty-nine years after its first and only bowl appearance, coach Wes Fesler’s Big Ten co-champions headed to Pasadena and the Rose Bowl to face unbeaten California, which had humbled the Buckeyes in the 1921 game. The Big Ten had won its previous three Rose matchups since aligning with the Pacific Coast Conference (now Pac-12).

Stars // Fred “Curly” Morrison was named the game’s MVP with his 127-yard rushing effort that included a tying touchdown in the third quarter. Jerry Krall added 50 yards the hard way (24 carries) and a score. And Jimmy Hague provided the winning points with a 27-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining.

Turning point // OSU faced fourth-and-2 from the Cal 5 when Fesler called for a field-goal try by sending holder Dick Widdoes onto the field, but the Buckeyes didn’t like the idea and sent Widdoes off so they could go for it. That eventually cost Ohio State a 5-yard delay penalty — and Fesler demanded a field-goal attempt. Hague’s kick barely slithered inside the right upright.

Impact // Ohio State had its first bowl victory, and very much enjoyed the taste. Fesler, though, didn’t enjoy the pressure inherent with the position of Ohio State coach and would be gone a year later — to be replaced by Woody Hayes.

Quotable // “I knew from the start that was going to be good, but it did take off a little to the right and that worried me. Talk about thrills. I’ve really had ’em in my college football career, but never like that one.” — Hague, after the winning kick.

— Ray Stein