This Rose Bowl Friday is quite unique, as we examine the only time the Granddaddy of Them All was not played in Pasadena. Staged just 24 days after Pearl Harbor, the game was moved from the West Coast—where safety was being secured still by the U.S. military, against the Empire of Japan—to the East Coast, which faced no such threats. The game was hosted by Duke University, oddly one of the participants, too.

The Blue Devils came into the Rose Bowl with a 9-0 record, ranked second in the AP poll. They’d surrendered just 41 points in those victories—all against legitimate teams, yet the SOS rank (64th) was not very good. In reality, Duke was No. 8 in the SRS, so there was the typical overrating job for a big-name school by the Associated Press. Still, being undefeated is being undefeated, so the team had tons of respect.

Which (un)lucky West Coast team would get a taste of cross-country travel itself? Surprisingly, the Oregon State Beavers were making their first Rose Bowl appearance, coming off a 7-2 regular-season record comprised entirely of PCC brethren (No. 12 SOS). That record was a game and a half clear of the next-best team in the conference, as the Beavers gave up only 33 points all season against some tough competition.

Thus, the table was set, in Durham, North Carolina, for a special matchup where the “Champions of the West” would have to travel across the country to the Rose Bowl. Thus, Duke was the favorite, with its higher ranking (the Beavers came in ranked just 12th by the AP writers), home-field advantage, and better-rested roster of players. So, naturally, Oregon State scored to take a 7-0 lead as the opening quarter ended. What?!

The Blue Devils scored in the second quarter to get the game to a tie at halftime; this was surely when the Beavers would break down after their travel, with all the adrenaline burned off in the first half. Instead, the Oregon State passing game exploded in the third quarter, with two scoring passes that totaled 99 yards in length. Fortunately, Duke managed to score a touchdown itself in the middle of the quarter to avoid shame.

Enter the final 15 minutes: the Beavers led 20-14 despite so many factors being against them. The Blue Devils did put two points on the board, though, with a safety in the middle of the quarter, making it 20-16. Duke kept pushing the issue, getting into Oregon State territory three times without scoring, thanks to two interceptions by the visiting defense—including one in the red zone on Duke’s final possession. Game over.

This remains the Beavers’ only Rose Bowl victory, to this day.