Indiana Hoosiers to Honor 1968 Rose Bowl Team on Saturday

Photo: Indiana University Archives

Written By Evan McShane (@veryreasonable)

The Indiana Hoosiers’ 1968 Rose Bowl team will be honored and recognized by the university during this Saturday’s game in Bloomington against Rutgers. 50 years ago, Indiana’s football team earned themselves a trip to the 54th annual Rose Bowl game against the USC Trojans. Back then, the Hoosiers referred to Memorial Stadium as Seventeenth Street Football Stadium. Not much else was different regarding Indiana football. This accomplishment was just as miraculous as it would be if it were to happen today. IU football was in a very undesirable position in the mid-1960’s, and the Big Ten’s powerhouse teams we know today were still prominent at the time. To understand how impressive this Hoosier team was, some context and a history lesson is required. 

The Hoosiers endured 10 straight losing seasons from 1948 to 1957. In effort to turn things around, Indiana hired Phil Dickens as head coach. As he took over as leader of the football program, Dickens had a keen understanding of the Hoosiers lack of success. He blatantly skirted the NCAA’s recruiting rules in attempt to bring talent to Indiana University. Coach Dickens offered recruits expense-paid travel as well as other impermissible benefits. He was suspended from head coaching duties in what would have been his inaugural season. However, he remained employed as head coach for seven seasons following 1957. This decision would prove to be a bad one. Dickens compiled an atrocious record at Indiana of 20-41-2. The Hoosiers went just 8-34-2 in Big Ten play during Dickens’ tenure. He resigned following the 1964 season. The team he left behind was decimated from sanctions brought upon by the NCAA; Indiana was placed on probation from 1960 to 1963.

Harry Gonzo (16) carries the ball against Purdue Image: Indiana University Archives

It was time for change. Indiana’s athletic director at the time, Bill Orwig, hired a fiery man in his mid-30’s: John Pont. After success at Miami of Ohio and Yale, Pont was named Indiana’s head coach for the 1965 season. The Hoosiers were recovering from NCAA penalties, and Pont had to play by the book. Unfortunately, IU struggled in Pont’s first two seasons, posting records of 2-8 and 1-8-1. Having won just three games in two years, many people were giving up on Pont and the Hoosiers. Young enough to run sprints alongside his players, Pont never lost faith. He told recruits they would earn a trip to Pasadena, California if you sign up to be a Hoosier. Known as a very intense individual, he would tackle his players in practice without a helmet. That kind of mentality rubbed off on his players, and by Pont’s third season as head coach, Hoosier football would enter unchartered waters.

Indiana kicked off the 1967 season with a 12-10 win at home over the Kentucky Wildcats. Indiana was down 10-0 at halftime, but never looked back. Quarterback Harry Gonso had two touchdown passes in the second half to begin what would be a trend of narrow victories. The following week against Kansas, Indiana won 18-15 on Dave Kornowa’s 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. IU’s first road game came in Champaign against Illinois where they won 20-7. It took two defensive touchdowns to beat the Fighting Illini. Ken Kaczmarek had a pick-six, and Rick Spickard recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. Donning the nickname, the cardiac kids, the Hoosiers were off to their first 3-0 start since 1928.

There was buzz in Bloomington, and it wasn’t basketball-related. The Hoosiers’ momentum continued to roll. Trailing Iowa at home, wide receiver Jade Butcher hauled in the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter as IU won the game 21-17. IU then went on to beat Michigan, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Pont and his Hoosiers were riding high in the midst of a miracle. They reeled off eight consecutive victories to open the season. Unfortunately, the Hoosiers weren’t so lucky when they travelled to Minneapolis to play a talented Minnesota team. Indiana lost to the Gophers 33-7, and lost their chance at an undefeated season. However, with the Old Oaken Bucket game just a week away, there wasn’t time to look back.

Purdue had themselves a successful football team under head coach Jack Mollenkopf. During the prior season, the Boilermakers beat Indiana 51-6 and won the 1967 Rose Bowl. This year, another trip to the Rose Bowl was at stake – this time for both teams. Pont’s Hoosiers were 8-1 (5-1 in conference), while Purdue was 8-1 and undefeated in conference play. Despite being ranked fifth in the nation, IU was a two-touchdown underdog. The Boilers were ranked third. To cap off a miracle season, Indiana beat Purdue 19-14 in a stunning upset. A few hours later, Indiana was invited to the Rose Bowl. The Hoosiers were headed to Pasadena.

Image: Indiana Arceives

Indiana was a massive underdog playing against the hometown favorites: the USC Trojans. Southern Cal had a running back by the name of O.J. Simpson – who was the Heisman Trophy runner-up during the 1967 season. Simpson would win the Heisman the following year. He was too much for the Hoosiers to handle, scoring two touchdowns and rushing for over one-hundred yards. Indiana’s dream season ended with a 14-3 loss in the Rose Bowl. Nonetheless, it was a truly magical season. A team that deserves to be recognized even fifty years after the fact.

“That team with Coach Pont years ago did something special,” said current IU head coach Tom Allen. Allen is well-aware of the legacy Pont’s 1967 Hoosiers left behind. “You know, I'm one of those I go back and study history and different programs, and you go back and look at the history of the seasons leading up to that year. Obviously, it's been many years ago. I wasn't born yet. Obviously, our players were not around. But the bottom-line is that it creates the visual picture of what you want.”

Allen understands the rarity of football success in Bloomington, and he hopes that honoring the 1967 team will inspire some of his players. If Allen could pick out one word for that team? Belief. “It all begins with belief. And I believe strongly in that word and the power that it entails; that it's not just a word, it has to be something to it,” Allen continued, “You have to earn the right to expect to be successful on game day, and we're in the process of building that mentality every single day.” Indiana will continue to earn that right, and fight to someday earn another trip to Pasadena. A special team indeed. On Saturday, they get the recognition they deserve. Cheers to 50 years!