[NU Sports] Maybe the Big Ten ...

[Jim Bendat]

Eric West wrote:
>
> The Fiesta Bowl were not allowed to choose Arizona State. The Sun 
> Devils could only have been available if the Rose Bowl had forgotten 
> *their* roots and snubbed Illinois. I'm glad that didn't happen.
An excellent overall post by Eric.  But, it should be noted that the 
Rose Bowl's roots are not with the Big Ten.  From 1902 through 1946, the 
Rose Bowl pitted the Pac-10 (then called the Pacific Coast Conference) 
champion against an at-large team from any part of the country.  This 
year, I think it's an absolute joke that Illinois is going to the Rose 
Bowl.  Just two and a half weeks ago, there was a game between Ohio 
State and Michigan.  The game was advertised nationally as the battle 
for the Rose Bowl.  Now, neither of them is going to Pasadena.  We 
actually have a situation where Illinois, who did not for one moment all 
season long consider itself a Rose Bowl contender, is actually going to 
the Granddaddy of Them All.  Unbelievable.

Georgia would have been a much better opponent for $C.  The Rose Bowl 
committee apparently would have had to seek permission from the Sugar 
Bowl to invite Georgia, but they didn't even try.  And, by the way, 
Georgia has deeper roots to the Rose Bowl then Illinois.  The Bulldogs 
played in the Rose Bowl  on January 1, 1943.  The Illini's first 
appearance in Pasadena was four years later.

Jim B.