1, with senior quarterback Gary Beban as a Heisman Trophy candidate, played the USC Trojans, 8–1 and ranked No.
The scoring opened with All-American Tailback Mel Farr running 49 yards for a Bruin touchdown.
The extra point was blocked, Despite dominating in the statistics, USC led only 16–6 with less than four minutes left in the game (In the first 3 1/2 quarters, USC penetrated inside the UCLA 25-yard line seven times; three times they fumbled, threw one interception in the end zone, settled for a short field goal, and scored two touchdowns, missing the extra point on one).
On 3rd and 23, UCLA linebacker Dallas Grider hit USC quarterback Troy Winslow and caused a fumble.
Then Grider then recovered an onside kick, and two plays later, Beban hit Kurt Altenberg, a decoy for Mel Farr, on a 49-yard touchdown bomb to win the game, 20–16.
[11][12] A vote the next Monday among the AAWU conference athletic directors put USC in the Rose Bowl.
It was speculated that this was to make up for 1964 when Oregon State (8-2 overall, 4-1 in conference) was voted in ahead of USC (7-3 overall, 4-1 in conference) despite USC's 20-17 upset of #1 Notre Dame in the season's final game; the Oregon State coach at the time was Tommy Prothro, who became UCLA's coach in 1965.
In addition, the directors believed Beban could not play for UCLA in the Rose Bowl due to the broken ankle, thereby giving the Big 10 representative (Purdue) a better chance to win.
USC dropped to #2 in the UPI and #4 in the AP, while UCLA ascended to the top ranking after their 48–0 win over Washington.
It was the first time since the 1955 season that UCLA was ranked #1, and only the fourth AP weekly poll in the history of the school.
UCLA's tie and USC's loss were both inflicted by the Oregon State Beavers and their famed "Giant Killers" team.
But a 13–6 loss to Washington earlier in the season ultimately cost the Beavers the conference title and Rose Bowl berth.
Both teams also wore their home uniforms when meeting at the Coliseum, UCLA in Powderkeg blue and USC in Cardinal.
The American Broadcasting Company began showing college football on television in color the previous season.
In the second quarter, after a UCLA missed field goal, Earl McCullouch would run 52 yards on a flanker reverse; he fumbled near the end of the play but USC recovered.
This set up O. J. Simpson for a weaving 12-yard touchdown run through most of the UCLA defensive unit in which he dragged two tacklers to the end zone.
In the third quarter Gary Beban hit George Farmer for a touchdown pass for 53 yards to tie the score.
However, USC head coach John McKay had noticed that UCLA kicker Andrusyshyn kicked with a low trajectory, so he put 6'8" Bill Hayhoe in the middle of the line on the Trojans field goal defense unit; Hayhoe blocked two field goals to keep the game tied.
The extra point attempt by Andrusyshyn was tipped by Hayhoe and went wide, resulting in a 20–14 UCLA lead.
Simpson would later recall standing in his halfback position, hearing the audible and thinking to himself "Toby, it's 3rd and 7; this is a terrible call.
"[4] Simpson veered to the left sideline, got a key block from fullback Dan Scott, and then cut back to the middle to run 64 yards for a touchdown.
"[23] With Beban out due to the rib injury, a disheartened UCLA would lose the next week at Larry Csonka-led Syracuse 32–14.
This was the last year the Associated Press conducted its final poll prior to bowl games.
Simpson would go on to have one of the greatest professional careers any running back has ever had, rushing for over 11,000 yards, mostly for the Buffalo Bills, at a time when an NFL season was still 14 games.
Beban was then traded to the Washington Redskins, who already had a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Sonny Jurgensen.
The Redskins, coached in 1968 by former Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham, moved Beban to wide receiver.
Artist Arnold Friberg was commissioned by Chevrolet to paint a series commemorating the 100th anniversary of American intercollegiate football in 1969.
UCLA took an early lead and trailed only 21–16 midway through the 4th quarter and, led by sophomore quarterback Jim Nader, would drive inside the USC 5-yard line.