The Rose Bowl (called the "Grandaddy of them all" mainly due to the size of its payout) pitting the traditional Big 10 and Pac 10 er, Pac 12 champions, and this year we have the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big 10 (with 12 schools) and the Oregon Ducks of the Pac 12. Given the recent announcement that the Big 10 and the Pac 12 are extending their inter-conference relationship both on the field with more inter conference scheduling and off the field with inter conference academic opportunities, this game is the start of this innovative way of extending each of the two brands and also increasing each conferences revenues.
This season the Wisconsin Badgers are 11-2 and the NCAA FBS production model's measure of their strength of schedule (SOS) was equal to 69.77. Wisconsin's best win was against currently ranked #15 Michigan State in the Big 10 Conference Championship game, and their worst loss was against currently ranked #56 Ohio State. To date, the Badgers are the #5 ranked team overall, with the #3 ranked offense and the #37 ranked defense.
The Oregon Ducks are 11-2 with a strength of schedule equal to 65.69. Oregon's best win was against currently ranked #10 Stanford, and their worst loss was against currently ranked #21 USC. To date, the Ducks are the #8 ranked team overall, with the #5 ranked offense and the #66 ranked defense.
The NCAA FBS production model ranks Wisconsin better than Oregon, and hence expect Wisconsin to win the Rose Bowl today.