In one of the most memorable Rose Bowls in college football history, a No. 2 Wisconsin squad faced No. 1 University of Southern California in front of a stadium filled with 98,698 fans to determine the national champion on New Year's Day, 1963.
The Badgers rallied for 23 points in a fourth-quarter comeback attempt, but it was not enough as time ran out, resulting in a 42-37 loss. The 79 points scored that game was a Rose Bowl record that held for 28 years, and Wisconsin quarterback Ron VanderKelen will always be remembered for his courageous effort in the comeback that almost was.
USC (10-0) was the favorite going into the game against Wisconsin (8-1) and jumped to a 21-7 lead prior to halftime. After the break, USC extended its lead by scoring a touchdown off the first snap in the second half, pushing the score to 28-7.
VanderKelen responded by scoring a 17-yard scramble to reduce the margin to 28-14. This was just the start of the Badgers' powerful second-half scoring drive.
USC quarterback Pete Beathard answered Wisconsin and threw two touchdown passes to give the Trojans a comfortable lead at 42-14 with only 14:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. But that lead was not comfortable enough, as Milt Bruhn's Badgers busted through the over confident Trojan defense.
Within the next three minutes, Wisconsin's Lou Holland and Gary Kroner each registered a touchdown, bringing the Badgers within 14 points of USC.
Soon after, USC's center had a poor snap on a punt that resulted in a UW safety, adding two points to the Badger score and giving Wisconsin the ball back on a free kick.
VanderKelen completed three straight passes after the free kick, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to standout tight end Pat Richter, narrowing the score to 42-37.
Time expired shortly after Richter's score, but Wisconsin's efforts did not go unnoticed. The 1962 Badgers proved to be a team that never gave up, a characteristic that is rare in the world of sports.
VanderKelen was named the game MVP because of his unforgettable second-half performance. His 33-of-48 passing attempts for 401 yards set both a Wisconsin and a Rose Bowl record. Richter also set a Rose Bowl record by pulling in 11 receptions for 163 yards.
At the end of this season, VanderKelen and Richter were Heisman Trophy nominees, but both of them fell short on votes.
VanderKelen never developed into a dominant professional football player, but he did play a few years as a backup quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.
Richter's NFL career was a bit more solid, as he went on to a first-round draft pick for the Washington Redskins in 1963, where he played for eight seasons. Not only was he a top offensive target for his team, but he was also among the league's top 10 in touchdowns in 1968 with nine.
In 1989, Richter decided to return back to the University of Wisconsin and was hired to be the UW athletic director. One year later, Richter signed Notre Dame's Barry Alvarez, the head coach who is responsible for restoring the Wisconsin football program. Richter stepped down as athletic director in 2004 and Alvarez filled his position.
Besides having his number, 88, retired at Camp Randall Stadium, he has been named a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Academic All-America Hall of Fame, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame.
