The Wisconsin Badgers, champions of the Big Ten Conference, and the No. 6 BCS-ranked Stanford Cardinal, champions of the Pac-12 Conference, have earned berths to play in the 99th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO at 1:30 p.m. PT (5:30 p.m. ET) on Tuesday, January 1, 2013, at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
“The Tournament of Roses is honored to host the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University to play in The Granddaddy of Them All®,” Tournament of Roses President Sally Bixby said. “As home of the Big Ten and Pac-12 Conference champions, we are proud of our long standing partnership and look forward to a terrific match-up.”
Wisconsin finished the year with an 8-5 overall record (4-4 in conference). The Badgers earned the Big Ten Conference BCS automatic qualifier after defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Big Ten Football Championship Game, 70-31. They are making their third consecutive and ninth appearance all-time in the Rose Bowl Game. Head coach Bret Bielema becomes the first Badger coach in history to achieve the accomplishment and first Big Ten coach to do so since Bo Schembechler in the late 1970’s. Wisconsin is 3-5 in its Rose Bowl Game appearances.
Stanford closed out the regular season at 11-2, (8-1 in conference) and defeated the UCLA Bruins in the Pac-12 Football Championship Game to earn the Pac-12 BCS automatic qualifier. The Cardinal is making its third consecutive BCS bowl appearance in as many years and its 13th appearance all-time in the Rose Bowl Game. Head coach David Shaw became the fifth coach in conference history to win back-to-back Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors. Stanford is 5-6-1 in its Rose Bowl Game appearances with its last coming in 2000.
January 1 will mark the sixth meeting all-time between the Badgers and Cardinal and second Rose Bowl Game match-up; the last contest took place in Pasadena for the 2000 Rose Bowl Game in which Wisconsin went on to win, 17-9.
Pregame festivities for the 99th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO begin at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET) and include musical performances by the university bands as well as the official coin toss by 2013 Rose Parade Grand Marshal, Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN with Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Heather Cox calling the action.
Prior to kickoff, the B-2 Spirit based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri will fly over the stadium in honor of the men and women serving our country in the armed forces, and in tribute to The Granddaddy of Them All. The B-2 Spirit is a multi-role aircraft in service to the United States Air Force and is capable of delivering its array of tools anywhere on the globe through previously impenetrable defenses.
The 99th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO is sold out. For more information please visit www.tournamentofroses.com.
-Photo by Fernando J. Lara