2005 Rose Bowl

ABC broadcast the game nationally in 720p format, the first time the Rose Bowl was telecast in HDTV in the United States.

[4] The game would mark the first of 2 consecutive Rose Bowl appearances for the Longhorns, as they would also play in the 2006 iteration, which they would win over the USC Trojans.

The USC Trojans and the Oklahoma Sooners were invited to play in the BCS Championship game in the 2005 Orange Bowl.

Texas remained idle the next Saturday, but Cal had defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in a makeup game from Hurricane Ivan on December 4.

A 30-17 Michigan win over Iowa on September 25 ultimately decided the conference's Rose Bowl participant.

Michigan was awarded the traditional Big Ten Rose Bowl selection by virtue of the victory in head-to-head competition over Iowa.

Because the Longhorns were not conference champions, their next bowl game would be arbitrarily picked, and the outcome heavily depended on the play of other teams.

Both teams traded scores and it looked as though Michigan would take the game with a late go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.

California's cause was hurt when it was less than impressive in a 26-16 victory over Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, Mississippi the night before bowl bids were extended.

Cal played without two of the highest performing receivers in the NCAA,[7] however, this loss was attributed in many press reports to the Bears' disappointment over being denied their first Rose Bowl appearance in 45 years.

Many players from the game (e.g. Young, Edwards, Breaston, Henne, Woodley, Johnson) would move on to prominent roles in the National Football League.