The Rose Bowl folks are very traditional. They'll try their best to get a Pac10 vs. Big10 matchup, IMO.
perhaps...but only 1 of the last 5 rose bowl games were pac10/big10 matchups (in red): 1/3/2002 Miami (FL) ACC 37 vs. Nebraska 14 1/1/2003 Oklahoma BIG12 34 vs. Washington State 14 1/1/2004 Southern California 28 vs. Michigan 14 1/1/2005 Texas BIG12 38 vs. Michigan 37 1/4/2006 Texas BIG12 41 vs. Southern California 38 not sure what the mitigating circumstances were surrounding who played each of those years.
2002 and 2006 were BCSNC Games so they do not count since #1 and #2 play and bowl ties are out the window. Last year NC game was an additional game so from now on bowl ties are top priority. However, in 2005 USC was in the BCSNC game against OU so therefore that opened up a spot from a non PAC10 and Big10 team. The same with OSU in 2003 opening a spot up for OU.:thumb:
thanks! i wasn't making all those connections and couldn't understand what caused the pac10/big10 rose love affair to be so disrupted. that definitely explains it.