The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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the Wolverines were clearly aching for a victory in The Promised Land. That team suffered crushing early defeats against Notre Dame (29-27) and South Carolina (17-14), but rumbled through the Big Ten with an 8-0 record, surrendering just three points in its last four games combined. A 9-3 win over Ohio State in Columbus sent the Wolverines west to take on Pac-10 champion Washington. Michigan entered the Rose Bowl confident, like it always did. But a snake-bitten head coach far beyond head knowledge. "It was Bo's first win," Carr emphasized. "I'll never forget him lighting up that cigar in that locker room after the game. The pure joy that we'd won, and he didn't have to leave that place without a victory, what it meant to his players, his coaches and everybody on that team. That was a special, special time." Skene experienced incredible highs and lows in fashioning a 2-2 record in Pasadena. He knew the anger and crestfallen disap- "I was overcome with emotion. I was out there crying, because I was so happy and yet so sad at the same time. It was at midfield. We were so happy, but I was so upset." Those were good days, Skene recalled. In those years, Pasadena became the nearly yearly holiday venue to him, along with center Steve Everitt, offensive tackle Joe Cocozzo, inside linebacker Curt Mallory and defensive tackle Chris Hutchinson, close friends and teammates having the time of their young lives. Michigan's second appearance in the Rose Bowl took place on Jan 1, 1948, and the Wolverines' 49-0 rout of USC capped an undefeated season for U-M and brought another national championship. photo courtesy Pasadena Tournament of Roses Archives decade in the canyon gave onlookers a certain sense of uneasiness. It wasn't much better at halftime, when the Wolverines clung to a 7-6 lead built on a six-yard touchdown run by Butch Woolfolk. In the second half, though, the sun set over the mountains and on Michigan's Rose Bowl angst. Quarterback John Wangler found Anthony Carter on a seven-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Woolfolk ran wild, eventually churning out 182 yards on 26 carries. And Michigan's defense, so stingy down the stretch, pitched a shutout second half. "That was incredible," Carr said. "That ranks with the greatest experiences I've had as a coach. We won the Big Ten championship. We were playing an outstanding Washington team." Winning that day forever sealed the new Michigan coach's Rose Bowl passion. Carr knew all about the bowl, the history, etc. Being there, and experiencing that afternoon into evening, ushered the future Michigan pointment of Schembechler's final bowl game, a loss to USC featuring what Skene referred as an "unfortunate" call by officials. It's been described more harshly, the holding penalty on an otherwise successful fake punt by the Wolverines in a 17-10 loss to USC. But Skene holds better memories of Pasadena, ones filled with all sorts of emotions. The Wolverines beat Washington in a 38‑31 shootout in Skene's fifth and final year in a Michigan uniform. He will never forget how the final moments of that one unfolded. "We had secured the ball on a late interception. We had the victory, and we went to take the victory formation to run out whatever seconds were on the clock," Skene recalled. "I'll never forget that feeling, and the wave of emotions that went over me, for two reasons. Number one, we had won the Rose Bowl our senior year. Number two, that was the last time I'd ever get to wear that Michigan uniform. 56 ■ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview "I remember the times I spent out on the beach with teammates," he said. "Remember, you're a 20-, 21-year-old college kid. It's late December, and you're in Southern California. The locals think it's wintertime, but we're all at the beach in our shorts, having a great time. "I remember the feeling of just how special those times were and how so few people actually get to go through that experience. I always felt so fortunate to be able to do it, and to be able to do it in a Michigan uniform made it all the more special for me. "Growing up, that's all I wanted to do — play at Michigan and win that Rose Bowl." "When you win there, nothing tops that," Carr assured. "When you lose there, it just stays with you. Even though you have to have an outstanding team and an outstanding season to get there, there is an unbelievable difference between winning and losing. Anybody that has been there would agree to that."