While Hannah was working on increasing the size of M.S.C.'s student body, he also raised the school's reputation from a regionally-respected college to a nationally recognized research university. When the University of Chicago eliminated varsity football and withdrew from the Western Conference (now the Big Ten) in 1946, Hannah lobbied hard to take its place. The Big Ten finally admitted M.S.C. in 1949. After joining the conference, head football coach Clarence L. "Biggie" Munn led the Spartan football team to the Rose Bowl in the 1953–54 season, beating UCLA 28–20. Successor coach Hugh "Duffy" Daugherty lead the football team to a second Rose Bowl where it again defeated UCLA, 17–14.