With the Wisconsin Badgers' 42-39 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the first-ever Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night, the 2012 Rose Bowl matchup has been finalized. The Badgers will battle the Oregon Ducks on January 2 in Pasadena. Both teams have great offenses and great running backs.
Both teams are trying to avenge losses in their last Rose Bowl trip. It is the eighth trip to Pasadena for Wisconsin, who is 3-4 all-time and lost 21-19 to TCU in the 2011 game. Oregon will make its sixth trip to Pasadena, and has lost four of its five Rose Bowls, including a 26-17 loss to Ohio State in 2010.
Oregon this season is third in FBS with 46.2 points scored per game, and Wisconsin is right behind them in fourth with 44.6 points per contest. Oregon is sixth in the nation with 515.2 yards per game, while Wisconsin is 16th at 469.2 yards per contest.
The Ducks' LaMichael James ran for three touchdowns and 220 yards to win MVP in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday night, his fourth game this season with at least 200 yards rushing. James leads all of FBS with 149.6 rushing yards per game.
Wisconsin's Monte Ball ran for three touchdowns and 137 yards in the Big Ten title game, and on the season leads FBS with both 1,759 rushing yards and 32 rushing touchdowns. Ball is third in the nation, averaging 135.3 yards per game.
It should be an exciting, and high-scoring contest on January 2 in Pasadena.
The 2012 Rose Bowl Game will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012 in Pasadena. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. PDT. The game will be televised by ESPN, with Brent Musberger, Kirk Herbstreit, and Erin Andrews on the call. Stay tuned for more updates as the game approaches.