The fifth-ranked UCLA Bruins of the AAWU (Pac-8) upset the undefeated and top-ranked Michigan State Spartans of the Big Ten Conference, 14–12.
[2][3][4] UCLA defensive back Bob Stiles, a junior college transfer,[4] was named the Player of the Game.
Unknown UCLA quarterback Gary Beban had a long touchdown pass play nullified by a penalty in that game.
Regular season opponents Michigan (-51), Ohio State (-22), and Notre Dame (-12) each had negative yards rushing.
Their key victory was a 32–7 win over Ohio State that ultimately decided the Big Ten Conference title as the Spartans finished one game ahead of the Buckeyes.
[7] Smith was a defensive end and Webster was a safety on Sports Illustrated's NCAA football all-century team in 1999.
Going into the rivalry game against USC on November 20, UCLA was ranked seventh, with the conference championship and Rose Bowl were on the line.
On the last play of a wild game, defensive back Bob Petrella intercepted a UCLA pass to save a 37–34 Volunteer win.
Even Michigan State roverback Webster weighed as much as the heaviest UCLA defensive lineman at 225 lb (102 kg).
On the first play of the second quarter, Beban took it in from one yard out on a quarterback sneak to give the Bruins a surprising lead over the stunned Spartans.
In preparation for the game, UCLA assistant coach Pepper Rodgers had designed a formation called shadow set, in which wide receivers Altenberg and Witcher lined up one behind the other .
Later in the second quarter, the Spartans drove deep into UCLA territory led by quarterback and co-captain Steve Juday.
[17] Another drive came up empty when just before the half, Dick Kenney, the Spartan barefoot kicker from Hawaii, missed a field goal from the 23-yard line.
They finally broke through for a touchdown when their large Samoan fullback Bob Apisa took a lateral from sophomore quarterback Jimmy Raye and scored on a 38-yard run.
On a play called "option pitch", Raye tossed the football to the sophomore Apisa who ran to the right, and as he turned the corner, it appeared he would fall into the end zone to tie the game.
(This would not have resulted in overtime; tie games until the 1996 season) But Apisa was forced by Colletto to run parallel to the goal line.