Passion. Tradition. Rose Bowl. Oregon. Ohio State.
Weeks of hypotheticals, lost sleep, anticipation and smack talk have all lead us up to the 2025 Rose Bowl Game.
In an insane era of college football that features countless inconsistencies and changes, The Rose Bowl Game remains one of the sport’s true traditions. But a newfound rivalry brings a new passion to the latest edition of the game.
Tomorrow, passion meets tradition.
The “Granddaddy of Them All” has always sat as a reward for two of the best teams from two of the nation’s oldest conferences. Tradition.
Ohio State, the longtime Big Ten member is all too familiar with playing in the Rose Bowl. So much so that Ryan Day’s team opted not to take a team picture in front of the iconic venue on Tuesday. Ohio State is a blue blood playing in a familiar venue. Tradition.
Oregon was a Pac-12 powerhouse with its own fair share of Pasadena trips. It took just one season for Dan Lanning’s Ducks to conquer the Big Ten. Now, they carry a flame to finish the job. Passion.
The College Football Playoff is in a new 12-team format with more teams vying for a shot at glory. Passion.
Oregon and Ohio State have created a quick distain for each other. Each fan base thinks the other is entitled, arrogant and delusional. The Ducks’ 32-31 win over the Buckeyes back in October did nothing but fuel that fire. There is passion between these two squads.
And there is no venue with more tradition for newfound foes to clash at on New Year’s Day. Words will collide when foot meets leather on a Pasadena afternoon.
Today, I met two fanbases.
One was thrilled to be back, undeterred by two regular-season losses. Ohio State fans came to see their team get revenge they’ve waited on for months.
Oregon fans brought a new confidence to the Rose Bowl Bash. They are ready to see their Ducks reach the apex of college football, and they’re thrilled to stick it to the Buckeyes again.
The Rose Bowl Bash was an incredible environment that I’m thrilled to have been able to witness. It was one of the best fan events I’ve ever seen. The fans are ready.
This morning, head coaches Dan Lanning and Ryan Day were all business. They refused to talk about much of anything outside of the feeling of preparedness that they both feel. The coaches are ready.
Ohio State didn’t take a team picture. When the Ducks showed up for theirs, they were all business getting on and off the bus. The players are ready.
Football fans are waiting for a competitive CFP contest. They expect Oregon and Ohio State to deliver. The world is ready.
There are no more storylines to create, no more horses to beat. We’ve said everything we can say about the clash that awaits. Passion and tradition will combine to create momentum and legacy.
