Hall of Fame
Entering the 1916 Rose Bowl game, at the time called the Tournament of Roses Football Game, the talk was of Brown University freshman star running back Fritz Pollard. In fact, Pollard and Brown were given so much respect that, despite a 5-3-1 record, the Rhode Island school was considered the favorite over a 6-0 Washington State College team that had outscored its opponents by a 190-10 margin. Washington State's 14-0 win over Brown in what would become the first of the continuous Rose Bowl games left an impression on the game's referee, Walter Eckersall. Eckersall compared the Cougars to an undefeated Cornell team that later would be declared national champions. "It is the equal of Cornell," said Eckersall. "There is not a better football team in the country. I do not believe I ever saw a better one at any time." The Los Angeles Times account of the game included, "There was no fluke in the victory. There can be no detracting from the greatness of Washington's eleven."
