The Indians became the first major college team to implement the "T" formation and subsequently went a perfect 10–0, winning the Poling National Championship.

The Trojans were two years removed from winning consecutive Rose Bowls against teams that were previously unbeaten, untied, and unscored upon (Duke in 1939 and Tennessee in 1940).

Aided by a personal foul, the Trojans drove for a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Ray Woods to Essick a foot from the back of the end zone with 13 seconds left to go up 13–7.

Stanford's All-American quarterback, Frankie Albert, returned for his senior year and led the Pacific Coast Conference in passing and total yardage.

Later in the third quarter, Quentin Greenough set up an Oregon State drive by recovering a Stanford fumble at the Indian 14.

The Indians' final drive started inside the Beaver 30 after a fumble late in the game, but Stanford ran out of time, allowing Oregon State to escape with a 10–0 win.

In the second quarter, Washington State drove down to the eight, but George Peters ended the threat by intercepting a pass at the three-yard line.

Oregon State's final drive ended on a fourth down carry by Bob Dethman, which was stopped short of the line to gain.

UCLA's defense held, but Forbes fumbled the punt, and Greenough, in his first game back in four weeks, recovered at the Oregon State 45.

After Montana stopped three carries inside of the five, McInnis powered in a touchdown from the one-foot line with one minute left in the half.

On the Tuesday after the game, the first boats that would compose the Kidō Butai that would attack Pearl Harbor began leaving Japanese territory bound for Oahu.

However, the Blue Devils' head coach, Wallace Wade, had rubbed a lot of Westerners the wrong way by failing to congratulate Southern California's quarterback, Doyle Nave, and then subsequently stating that he would never bring another team to the Rose Bowl ever again.

Unknown to Oregon State, however, both #6 Fordham and #7 Missouri each received take it or leave it offers to the Sugar Bowl at approximately 2:00 a.m. on November 30.

On December 2, Admiral Yamamoto sent the six carriers of the Kidō Butai the transmission, "Climb Mount Niitaka," the final order to attack Pearl Harbor.

Multiple FBI agents informed Oregon State coach, Lon Stiner that no exception would be made for Yoshihara.

Later that day, as the train sped by Glenns Ferry, Idaho, the 11 seniors voted unanimously to name Chaves the team captain for the game.

The train with the Beavers' equipment and uniforms did not arrive by practice time, so Oregon State players wore maroon warmups borrowed from the University of Chicago during kicking and passing drills.

The equipment and uniform train arrived just in time for Martin Chaves, Bob Dethman, Donald Durdan, and Joe Day to dress in full pads for press pictures.

To simulate Oregon State, Duke was practicing against what Brian Curtis of Sports Illustrated would call "the most talented scout team in the country."

On January 1, 1942, in Pasadena, the Rose Bowl Court and Queen, all clad in regular street clothes, drove down a deserted Colorado Boulevard, and later to a reception at the Huntington Hotel.

Eisan could not find a silver dollar in North Carolina, so he borrowed a 50-cent piece from Oregon State's captain, Martin Chaves.

The Blue Devils would threaten again late in the first half after an Oregon State fumble gave Duke a first down at the Beaver 32.

Major Swede Larson, Navy's head coach spoke with sportswriter, Grantland Rice, at halftime and said, "Duke is being hit harder and keener than at any time during the season.

On the Blue Devils' subsequent drive, Lach ran for 21 yards on a fake punt and Davis threw to Gantt for another 16 for a first down at the Oregon State 28.

With less than a minute left, Rute hit Jim Smith on 28-yard pass play to give the Blue Devils a first down at the Beaver 46.

Although many others argue that Columbia's 1934 victory over Stanford was bigger, Sid Feder of the Associated Press labeled it the biggest upset in the Rose Bowl's early history.

Oregon State attended the postgame banquet with Duke and left Durham, North Carolina, at 12:40 a.m. on January 2, 1941, bound for New Orleans.

After a stop in Sacramento on January 7, Durdan and Simas disembarked from the Beaver Express to visit family in Northern California.

The Beaver Express arrived back in Albany on January 8, 1942, at 5:16 a.m. Over the previous 19 days, 11 hours, and 31 minutes, the assistant coaches and most of the members of the team traveled 7,384 miles, through 24 states.

In his article after the game, Rice, in explaining why Oregon State had won, said that the Beavers had played a much harder schedule than the Blue Devils.