Big Ten champ Penn State draws Southern Cal in Rose Bowl Game

The one difference from last week’s top four and the final one was Clemson and Ohio State switched spots. Because then every Penn St. fan would have to acknowledge: “If it weren’t for Pitt beating our team, we’d be going to college football playoff”. Not a bad gig if you can have it.

Again, life’s a trip, man.

In many ways the College Football Playoff is no different than the Bowl Championship Series, a highly subjective system that relied on poll voters to pick the top two teams.

“I’m thrilled that we’ll be representing the Big Ten Conference as we travel to Pasadena for the 103rd Rose Bowl”, stated Sandy Barbour, Penn State Director of Athletics.

Quarterback-Trace McSorley, Penn State, 6-0, 205, So., Ashburn, Virginia. Next year we’ll be standing here talking about some other way it fell out. Franklin trailed Wisconsin’s Paul Chryst heading into the conference championship game on Saturday, but Franklin was named on 12 of the 13 ballots submitted after the Nittany Lions’ 38-31 victory over the Badgers. No. 3 Ohio State (11-1). Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley was seen visibly limping on the opening drive, and many fans were starting to worry early on.

Penn State will make its fourth appearance in the Rose Bowl, including three against USC. Sam Darnold took over the Trojans nine games ago, and the Pac-12’s offensive freshman of the year has steered their winning streak with 2,633 yards passing and 26 touchdowns.

Alabama has played Washington four times previously, twice in bowls and not since 1986. Washington also sports a bonafide giant-slaying coach in Chris Petersen, whose Boise State squad felled Adrian Peterson and Oklahoma in the unforgettable 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

Do I expect Washington to win? No. “We want to see our incredible fans in Pasadena to continue this fantastic ride on January 2”. Remember that Penn State beat Ohio State, though that didn’t keep the Buckeyes out of the Playoff in favor of the Lions.

MATCHUPS: USC’s solid defense must face a Penn State offense that has scored at least 38 points in six consecutive games.

Although the football conference season did not end how we wanted it to, the Badgers’ basketball team is now entering this week having notched up two big wins in a row. “But like I said during the week, I thought our guys would be appreciative of the opportunity to be able to stay together as a family for another week and play the great game of football”. The Nittany Lions will force a turnover, but it won’t be enough. Wisconsin has only five non-special teams senior starters, and stands to return its entire offensive line in 2017.

Defensive tackles- Jaleel Johnson, Iowa, 6-4, 310, Sr., Lombard, Illinois; Malik McDowell, Michigan State, 6-6, 276, Jr., Detroit.