Big Ten’s expansion further damages Rose Bowl’s status

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former Wisconsin football coach Barry Alvarez says the Rose Bowl will always be important to the Big Ten, but making the College Football Playoff is the priority for today’s players. The future of the Rose Bowl as a showcase game, mostly featuring teams from Big Ten and Pac-12 on New Year’s Day, was already murky as the College Football Playoff creeps toward expansion. Now that the Big Ten has poached Southern California and UCLA from the Pac-12, it remains to be seen if the West Coast’s Power Five conference will still be an important part of the Rose Bowl.