1997 Rose Bowl Picture Gallery
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Arizona State quarterback Jake "The Snake" Plummer scored on a dramatic 11-yard touchdown run with 1:40 left in the game to give ASU a 17-14 lead, only to see Ohio State drive 65 yards in 12 plays and score the winning touchdown with :19 remaining, giving the Buckeyes a 20-17 victory. The game was one of the most exciting Rose Bowl games in history and one of the most exciting college football games seen in a while. Plummer, who finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting, completed 19 of 35 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown in the game. The touchdown pass was a spectacular 25-yard strike to wide receiver Ricky Boyer, which tied the score at seven at 10:04 in the second quarter. Ohio State had scored first in the opening stanza on a nine-yard pass from quarterback Stanley Jackson to David Boston. The game remained deadlocked at halftime and with 9:12 left in the third quarter, ASU's Robert Nycz nailed a 37-yard field goal, giving the Sun Devils their first lead, 10-7. OSU quarterback Joe Germaine wasted no time in hitting wideout Demetrious Stanley on a 72-yard scoring strike with 8:23 left in the third. Ohio State led 14-10. The game remained scoreless until the final 1:40 when Plummer and Germaine performed their heroics. The Rose Bowl game was the most-watched college bowl game of the season, earning an 18.2 overnight rating (31 share), a full point ahead of the Florida-Florida State Sugar Bowl (17.2/25). ASU wide receiver Lenzie Jackson caught five passes for 71 yards while teammate Derek Smith tallied a game-high 18 tackles from his inside linebacking position. He added two quarterback sacks and deflected one pass. |
All photos courtesy of Scott Troyanos.
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