'One of the greatest underdog stories of our time': Northwestern's run to the Rose Bowl, 25 years later

Shortly after midnight on New Year's Day 1996, Northwestern football coach Gary Barnett walked into the Rose Bowl.

Barnett's team would take the field hours later, punctuating a season no one saw coming. But the coach who challenged Northwestern to dream big had to ensure the fairy-tale ending was real. Barnett got through security, circled the field and climbed to the last row behind the end zone that was painted purple, with "NORTHWESTERN" in white lettering.

"It was like 1 o'clock in the morning," Barnett said. "My whole mantra had been 'Take the purple to Pasadena,' and I wanted to see it without anybody in the stands. I wanted to see that it was actually done before we got there. I sat up there for probably half an hour by myself, and just thought things through, how appreciative I was of the players and what we'd done to get there.

"That was a special moment."

The surprise success of Northwestern's 1995 team -- the Wildcats went from 23 consecutive losing seasons to winning the Big Ten and reaching the Rose Bowl -- is why the team's legacy endures 25 years later.

How many non-national champion, non-bowl champion teams occupy a sliver of college football history? The sport has witnessed plenty of breakout seasons by bottom-feeders, but no major conference program represented failure more than Northwestern.

"One of the greatest underdog stories of our time," said linebacker Don Holmes.

Entering 1995, the Wildcats had not reached a bowl since the 1949 Rose Bowl. They recorded a 34-game losing streak from 1979 to 1982, still the longest in FBS history. They logged another 0-11 season in 1989, and while there had been flickers of promise under Barnett, the team went 8-25-1 in his first three years.

Then the 1995 season happened -- 10 wins, 8-0 in conference play, and the Rose Bowl appearance. With each historic win, an understaffed athletic department scrambled to handle the surge of ticket orders and media requests. A dumpy stadium typically half-filled with visiting fans started to pack with purple. A campus that had largely rebuffed athletics embraced a transcendent team.

"We were America's team," said athletic director Rick Taylor.

ESPN spoke to those out front and behind the scenes of the magical run, which included a difficult summer before kickoff, milestone wins against Notre Dame, Michigan and Penn State, and nearly three weeks of practices, parties and celebrities in California before the Rose Bowl.

"The fact that we're still talking about it, it resonates more and more," said center Rob Johnson, a team captain. "As far as a single-season story in the modern era of college football, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better narrative than what we had in '95."

'They had always believed if we won, we were doing something wrong'

Weeks after his hiring in 1991, Barnett addressed the crowd at a Northwestern basketball game, promising to "Take the purple to Pasadena." His rallying cry mirrored those of other new Big Ten coaches at their public introductions.

Barnett soon realized that Northwestern didn't operate like other Big Ten schools.

"The first month I was there, one of the administrators in the academic advising side told me, 'Our job is to protect the players from the coaches,'" Barnett said. "I thought, 'OK, I know what we're up against.'"

Philosophy and history were Barnett's primary opponents at Northwestern. A founding member of the Big Ten, Northwestern had four top-10 finishes between 1936 and 1948, and later had decent stretches under coaches Ara Parseghian and Alex Agase. Along the way, though, football stopped mattering at the league's smallest and only private school.

"They had always believed if we won, we were doing something wrong," said Taylor, who became athletic director in 1994. "That was the stupidest idea. I couldn't believe it, and I said a number of times publicly, 'We're in it to win it. Our goal is to win the Big Ten.'

"People are looking at me or looking at Gary like we're crazy."

Students came to games for tailgates, back when alcohol was allowed, but rarely entered Dyche Stadium. Kicker Sam Valenzisi, who, at 5-foot-7, blended with the non-athlete population, remembers hearing students mockingly call his teammates "Biff."

"We were thought of as, 'These guys were here, they don't belong academically and they suck,'" Johnson said. "We weren't fully connected with the Northwestern community."

Players were also physically disconnected for practices and games, held about a mile west of campus. Linemen conducting shuffle drills in a small, shared weight room had to ask volleyball and basketball players to move aside. Northwestern's "indoor practice facility" amounted to a patch of turf, maybe 30 yards, underneath the stands of the basketball arena.

"We would run plays like the imaginary post route," said quarterback Steve Schnur. "The receiver would run out, he would stop, and I couldn't throw the ball, because D'Wayne Bates would have run right into the wall."

In the spring of 1995, Northwestern players faced a choice on their footwear for the season: white shoes from Nike, or black shoes from ... Pony.

"I'll bet no other school in America had a contract with Pony," Valenzisi said. "We voted for the Nikes. This is what we want."

Barnett, who won a national championship as Colorado's offensive coordinator in 1990, brought confidence and charisma, and boosted recruiting. He emphasized visualization, and players would sit in meetings with the lights off, picturing goals that seemed improbable. "The Phil Jackson of college football," Holmes said.

"He had to convince 100 guys that they were good," Schnur said, "in light of the university, the whole community. No one had any expectations for us."

Northwestern went 3-7-1 in 1994, but many players point to that season as a springboard. The Wildcats tied No. 24 Stanford, recorded two Big Ten road wins and led Ohio State 9-0 before falling 17-15 to a team that had beaten them by 48 the previous year.

Before the finale at Penn State, Northwestern suspended Dennis Lundy, the team's all-time leading rusher, for his role in a gambling scandal. Darnell Autry filled in and rushed for 171 yards, but the Lundy situation "seemed like just one more shot to the gut," Barnett said.

Northwestern felt good after spring practice in 1995, but a difficult summer loomed. A homesick Autry nearly didn't return before his dad intervened. Quarterback Lloyd Abramson, pegged as the likely starter, didn't report for camp, citing football burnout.

Then tragedy struck in July. Marcel Price, a promising young defensive back, was killed in an accidental shooting while home in Nashville. Defensive back Chris Martin, who lived with Price that summer in Evanston, described his friend as tough, outspoken and talented.

"One of those guys Barnett brought in to help change the culture here," Martin said.

That fall, players wore "Big Six" patches on their jerseys to honor Price.

"We had to work through a whole bunch of stuff," Barnett said. "It was one thing after another. Amazing it all fell together."

'The start of something special'

Northwestern had lost every season opener since 1978, when it tied Illinois 0-0. The Wildcats hadn't started 1-0 since 1975. Barnett's first three openers were all losses to Notre Dame (combined score: 111-34). A similar result seemed likely when Northwestern kicked off the 1995 season against the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish as a four-touchdown underdog.

But the Wildcats never trailed, employing a formula -- stifling defense, just enough offense -- that became their trademark. When Northwestern took a 17-9 lead early in the third quarter, the unthinkable suddenly looked possible.

"There was one phone in the press box," said sports information director Brad Hurlbut. "People were calling from all over the country, asking questions, 'When was the last time you did this?'

Barnett had preached winning as an expectation, not a hope. He told players not to carry him off the field after they beat Notre Dame. But poise turned to pandemonium after Northwestern won, 17-15.

As Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz approached Barnett at midfield, Martin cut right in front of him, found the NBC camera and put his right forefinger over his lips.

"Look, nobody believed we could win, so we silenced not only people in that stadium, but we silenced people nationally," Martin said. "That was the start of something special."

The celebration continued on the ride home. Every time Northwestern's buses stopped along the Indiana Toll Road, motorists honked and waved.

"Even Notre Dame fans," said offensive lineman Justin Chabot. "Going through those toll plazas was almost like what you see on TV, a parade."

School wouldn't start for several more weeks, so most students weren't around. About 100 people greeted the buses when they pulled up to Dyche Stadium.

"That was 100 more than were there, ever," Schnur said.

On Sunday, Hurlbut called Schnur. "Good Morning America" wanted the quarterback on Monday's show. A limo would pick him up at 5:30 a.m. Mindful that Hurlbut enjoyed messing with him, Schnur replied, "You're s---ing me," and then hung up. Hurlbut called back to say the invitation was real.

Less than 48 hours after the season started, Schnur was talking Northwestern football with Charlie Gibson on "GMA."

Given the newfound fame, an open date and a less-notable opponent, what happened next was predictable. Northwestern prepared well for Miami (Ohio) and led 28-7 in the fourth quarter. But all-too-familiar miscues, namely several poor snaps by a backup snapper, led to a 30-28 loss.

"With 25 years of losing, that culture becomes second nature," Johnson said. "It really becomes a mental mountain you have to climb to ... really fight through the self-doubt that can creep in when you have no experience of winning at all. We let our guard down."

Many players now point to Miami (Ohio) as a necessary setback. Amid little hype the following weeks, Northwestern handily beat Air Force and Indiana. A trip to Michigan loomed.

Barnett, who worked for ex-Wolverines assistant Bill McCartney at Colorado, and the players had great respect for Michigan. Running back Tim Biakabutuka was a load. Jason Horn led a mauling defense that included freshman Charles Woodson. But thanks to playmaking defense (four takeaways), Autry's legs (103 yards) and Valenzisi's foot (four field goals), the Wildcats won 19-13 -- their first win in Ann Arbor since 1959.

"We're proving to ourselves, 'Notre Dame was not a fluke,'" Holmes said. "You're the real deal."

Bowl eligibility had been a realistic goal entering the fall. At 4-1, Northwestern could think bigger.

"After that came the real wild side of the hype," said star linebacker Pat Fitzgerald, now the Wildcats' head coach. "Now, how are we going to manage?"

'We were Big Ten champs, no matter what'

Northwestern was halfway through a historic season. Autry, Fitzgerald, defensive back Hudhaifa Ismaeli and others were becoming national names. But the team's biggest moments had occurred on the road, with the latest wins at Michigan and Minnesota.

The schedule's back stretch allowed a suddenly engaged fan base to celebrate their team up close.

"No longer was the library more crowded than our stadium on Saturdays," Martin said.

"Campus got euphoric," Fitzgerald added. "It went from, 'Man, I hope we have a good crowd' to, 'Oh my goodness, this is awesome.'"

Alumni streamed into town for homecoming. Barnett allowed the entire team to attend a pregame pep rally, where Valenzisi told the crowd: "Tomorrow's going to be a great day to be a Wildcat."

Northwestern blanked Wisconsin 35-0, forcing seven turnovers. Reserve cornerback Chris Rooney stopped Wisconsin on the final play at the 3-yard line to preserve the shutout. Other than losing Valenzisi to a knee injury, it had been a great day for the Wildcats.

"It was a validation," Martin said. "Our expectation was we should beat anybody."

As the wins and the hype increased, so did the demands on an athletic department unfamiliar with either. Ticket manager Krista Fortman and two other full-time staffers would take orders from 9 to 5. When the phones switched off, they began processing orders and mailing tickets.

On weekends, they solicited help from other department employees and even spouses. Fortman remembers one spouse balancing his 14-month-old on his lap as he ran credit cards.

"We'd arrive at 6 a.m. and we'd be leaving at 1 a.m.," Fortman said. "Because our staff was so small, it was all hands in. We were all exhausted but having a blast. Obviously, had never been through it before. It just came out of nowhere."

At a practice that spring, Barnett summoned Hurlbut, hired weeks earlier from Penn. The coach asked why more reporters weren't there, reminding Hurlbut, "That's your job." Hurlbut promised he would deliver, while thinking: Nobody's won here for 25 years.

By October, reporters filled a purple tent for every practice. "Nightly News" came. Autry appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, with the headline "The Real Deal." The Detroit Free Press even wrote about the sports information staff.

"We'd have [reporters] line up," Hurlbut said. "[Barnett] looks over and I said, 'You asked for media. I did my job.'"

In early November, Northwestern held the most anticipated home game in decades against No. 12 Penn State.

Keith Jackson and Bob Griese were on the ABC call. Stadium lights were driven in. Northwestern had to turn away some national newspapers. There was no room.

Although the Wisconsin game had sold out, this felt different.

"A lot of teams maybe take for granted that type of home-field advantage," Fitzgerald said. "We had never had it."

A national audience watched Fitzgerald (20 tackles) and the defense smother Penn State. Autry scored three touchdowns and posted his 10th straight 100-yard game. Northwestern's warts showed, too. Jackson couldn't talk over the blaring public-address system. In the second half, Schnur summoned the referee with a request: Tell the fans blocking the 25-second clock in the South end of the stadium to sit down.

"They put the clock in a spot that could be blocked by fans," Schnur said, "because they never anticipated any fans sitting there."

Northwestern gave everyone reason to stand and cheer, beating Penn State 21-10.

"We were not used to putting on a prime-time show on television with our facilities," Barnett said, "but it didn't make any difference. At that point in time, we knew what was at stake, and we were not going to let go of it."

Northwestern still needed to beat Iowa, Barnett's handpicked rival. Iowa appeared in red letters on the team schedule. During Iowa week, Northwestern's scout team dressed in a separate locker room.

Iowa had won 21 straight, including a 56-14 whipping in Barnett's debut season.

"They ran over us, laughed at us, and, as we left the field, [coach] Hayden [Fry] had said to me, 'I hope we didn't hurt any of your boys,'" Barnett said. "I just looked at him and said to myself, 'I'm never forgetting this moment.' I loved Hayden and respected him, but it was good to have something to think about every night."

"College GameDay" arrived for a snowy, frigid weekend. Iowa surged to a 14-3 lead. Fitzgerald, en route to the first of two national Defensive Player of the Year awards, suffered a broken ankle in the third quarter. His season was over, but Northwestern rallied to win, 31-20.

A week later, Northwestern beat Purdue to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten championship.

"We had done our part, 8-0," Chabot said. "We were Big Ten champs, no matter what."

A Rose Bowl, Hollywood, and a story that lives on

Northwestern had a perfect league record and a top-5 ranking, but it needed help to reach the Rose Bowl. Michigan had to beat undefeated, second-ranked Ohio State.

Several dozen players gathered in the team room at the Nicolet Football Center. A local NBC crew watched Schnur watch the game from his home in St. Louis. There were watch parties all around Evanston, but by afternoon, many had found their way to Nicolet.

"The Rose Bowl people were there with their roses sitting out in the lobby, and the Citrus Bowl people were there with their crates of oranges," Hurlbut said. "You look back at it now like one of those dating shows. Who are they going to pick?"

Northwestern hadn't made a bowl for 47 years, and the Citrus carried prestige. But everyone wanted the Rose.

"It doesn't have the same romanticism if it doesn't end on New Year's Day in Pasadena," Valenzisi said.

Michigan began to take control behind Biakabutuka (313 yards). ABC cameras kept showing Northwestern's team room. Final: Michigan 31, Ohio State 23.

"When the clock struck zero, there were hugs and tears," said linebacker Barry Gardner. "There was screaming and high-fiving, and roses being passed around. It was like a dream come true."

Cars honked their horns. Fans placed roses on Barnett's porch and lawn. Schnur received the same treatment in St. Louis.

"I'm like, 'Whoa!'" Barnett said. "This didn't happen in Colorado when we were going to the Orange Bowl."

Northwestern's Rose Bowl logistics would be thorny. The ticket office was bombarded. Even with opponent USC giving away some tickets, Northwestern had to "turn people away," Fortman said.

A university administrator told Taylor that Northwestern hoped to save $250,000 of its Rose Bowl payout.

"Are you going to tell the band they're not going, or am I?" Taylor responded. "He said, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'Every Big Ten school in the last 10 years has gone over-budget. I think we can stay within budget, but I can't give you $250,000.'

"We took the band."

Then there was the small matter of practice. Without an indoor field, Northwestern borrowed the Chicago Bears' bubble in Lake Forest, 40 minutes away.

"It was literally like high school," Schnur said. "You dress in your football pants and bring your helmet and your shoulder pads on your lap, and sit in the school bus. It's comical, a team going to the Rose Bowl, but we didn't know any better."

Barnett decided to take the team to California early, and Northwestern spent a week in Newport Beach before shifting to Pasadena.

Everyone wanted a piece of the Wildcats during their extended stay, especially Northwestern's many showbiz alumni. Charlton Heston parted the purple sea at Universal Studios. "Friends" star David Schwimmer came to practice. Garry Marshall hosted a party, which "Extra!" covered.

During a practice, Martin's mother approached Fred "The Hammer" Williamson, who played for Northwestern and in the AFL before starting his acting career.

"She's like, 'I watch your shows all the time. I'm such a big fan,'" Martin said. "He looked at her and said, 'No, I'm a big fan of your son.' My mom was floored. You realized how it impacted so many people, what we accomplished."

No one bounced around more than Barnett, who had to coach, recruit, attend dinners and make appearances, including "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. His name had surfaced for other jobs, including UCLA. There were even rumors about his assistants house hunting in Los Angeles.

"I was gone every single night," Barnett said. "It's like, 'OK we've got to part the red sea today, tomorrow we've got to be on Leno, I've got to be on a helicopter at 6 after practice.' I was exhausted."

Finally, game day arrived, and a scene that anyone connected to the team will never forget. The crowd estimates vary -- 60%, 65%, 70%, higher -- but Northwestern held a clear majority at the Rose Bowl.

Fitzgerald and Valenzisi, the two injured stars, were the first witnesses.

"Breathtaking," Valenzisi said. "To see the sea of purple wrapped around the other end of the stadium was just amazing. Context, we couldn't fill our own stadium. And now everybody who has ever attended Northwestern was there."

Northwestern fell behind by 17 points but rallied, recovering an onside kick and briefly taking a fourth-quarter lead. But too much Keyshawn Johnson (Rose Bowl-record 216 receiving yards) and too many Wildcat mistakes led to a 41-32 USC win.

In the final minute, Northwestern fans stood to salute their team.

"If it was a fairy-tale, we would have won," Johnson said.

Years later, Valenzisi is surprised at how few remember that the Wildcats lost the Rose Bowl, or even who they played.

The fact they made it to Pasadena, defying all expectations, is all that endures.

"It's amazing the stamp that we've left on American culture and football," Gardner said. "That story remains supreme."

Northwestern would share the Big Ten title in 1996 and again in 2000. The program has made 13 bowl appearances since 1995, and won four since 2012.

Fitzgerald, who became coach in 2006, is 101-79 with three 10-win seasons and a division title. In 2018, Northwestern opened the $270 million Walter Athletics Center, which overlooks Lake Michigan and is considered one of college football's premier facilities. The Wildcats haven't returned to Pasadena, but Fitzgerald calls 1995 "the catalyst team, to be able to say we can be a consistent winner here."

"It gave us legitimacy, validity," Barnett said. "It transformed the whole football program, and the way people looked at us."