It's set and it's time. The Rose Bowl will feature the Oregon Ducks against the Wisconsin Badgers on Jan. 2 at 5:00 pm ET in Pasadena.
The Rose Bowl isn't called ‘The Daddy Of Them All' for no reason. While LSU and Alabama bludgeon each other to death with two of the best defenses of a generation in the national championship game, Oregon and Wisconsin will play a game of ‘catch me if you can' with offenses ranked in the top five in the country.
Oregon ranks third nationally in scoring offense and Wisconsin sits at fourth. Both teams haven't scored fewer than 27 points in a game this season. You have running backs in Wisconsin's Montee Ball and Oregon's LaMichael James who are among the top players at their positions.
There has been anticipation all season for these two teams to meet in this game and, even with a scare or two, it came to fruition. Oregon finished 11-2, with one of its losses to LSU. The Ducks are fifth in rushing yards per game and their defensive ranking (48th in points against) is deceiving due to how many blowouts they've been involved in this season.
Wisconsin brings an 11th ranked rushing game but its defense may decide this contest. The Badgers D is sixth in the country, holding teams to 17.0 points per game. Now, no one is saying they'll hold the Ducks to that amount but the Badgers are used to playing hard-nosed defense. If the Badgers can give their offense a chance to put points on the board against a solid but unspectacular Ducks defense, it could be the difference in the game.
Just know the Rose Bowl should once again be a showcase during bowl season. Now, all we can do is sit and wait for the fireworks.