War of the Roses

The No. 5 BCS-ranked and Pac-12 Conference champions Oregon Ducks and the No. 10 BCS-ranked Wisconsin Badgers, champions of the Big Ten Conference, are set to play in the 98th Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena on Monday, Jan. 2.

Both teams have well-rounded, highly potent offenses, which should make for another barn-burning classic in the “The Granddaddy of Them All.”

Since 1902, the Rose Bowl game has been one of the highlights of Tournament of Roses festivities. Football, however, was not always the main attraction. After the University of Michigan decimated Stanford in 1902, Tournament of Roses officials eliminated the game and chose chariot races as the main event for the next 15 years. Fortunately, in 1916, football returned to the Rose Bowl and has been a part of the unique celebratory weekend ever since.

For Wisconsin, this is their second consecutive and eighth overall appearance in the Rose Bowl Game. The team secured their bid after defeating the Michigan State Spartans in the first-ever Big Ten Football Championship Game. The Badgers are 3-4 in Rose Bowl Game appearances all-time.

Oregon defeated the UCLA Bruins in the inaugural Pac-12 Football Conference Championship Game to earn the automatic qualifier. This is the Ducks’ sixth appearance in the Rose Bowl Game and third consecutive BCS bowl appearance. Oregon is one of 10 programs to have played in a bowl game in at least 18 out of the past 22 seasons.

More than 700,000 people are expected to blanket the streets of Pasadena the morning of the Rose Bowl. For those of you planning to attend both the parade and the game, you’re encouraged to visit www.tournamentofroses.com for the latest news and announcements.

—Adam Cucurull
Custom Publishing Writer