The Buckeyes head to the Rose Bowl as a consolation for missing out on the College Football Playoff.
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Ohio State’s consolation prize for missing out on the College Football Playoff is a classic matchup in the Granddaddy of Them All.
The Big Ten champion Buckeyes (12-1) will face Pac-12 champ Washington (10-3) in the 105th edition of the Rose Bowl game.
For the first time in college football’s playoff era, the champion of the Pac-12 will meet the champion of the Big Ten on New Year’s Day in Pasadena. That’s a welcome return to the traditional matchup for this tradition-soaked bowl game — and both schools have been away from the Rose Bowl long enough to make the trip likely irresistible for fans.
“We ended up right where we hoped to be, facing an awesome team in a big-time game that has so much history with this school and this program,” Washington coach Chris Petersen said. “We couldn’t be more excited about going down there. It couldn’t be more awesome for our fans and where we recruit and those types of things.”
Ohio State finished sixth in the race for four playoff spots despite winning the Big Ten title for the third time in five years.
