NCAA: Rose Bowl Preview

Washington (10-1, 7-1 Pac 10) vs. Purdue (8-3, 6-2 Big 10)

Pasadena, California, is the home of the Rose Bowl—the “granddaddy of them all.” Over the years the Rose Bowl has hosted some remarkable games, and this year’s matchup between Washington and Purdue has a chance to join that list. Let’s break it down:

Matt: The Rose Bowl is the bowl game with the best atmosphere--the lavishly-decorated field, the brilliant afternoon sunshine, Keith Jackson in the booth, and the Big 10-Pac 10 tradition all make the game enough of a draw every year. This matchup between Purdue and Washington promises to be a shootout, a game at least as entertaining as Washington's last Rose Bowl appearance, a thrilling 38-31 loss to Michigan in 1993.

Tom: I know what you’re talking about—there’s just something about the pageantry of the Rose. Some games are over-hyped and feel too slick and little soulless, but this game always gets me excited even though I don’t have a rooting interest in either team.

Matt: This year we get to watching two standout quarterbacks in Purdue’s Drew Brees and Washington’s Marques Tuiasosopo, who are equally error-prone but exciting in distinctly different ways, will provide more than enough fascination for the hard-core football fan. Watching Purdue's air attack battle Washington's ground game provides for the contrast in styles that always makes a big game more appealing.

Tom: Rich Alexis was the Huskies’ leading rusher with just 726 yards on the season, but six backs had at least 44 carries each this year, and the top two rushers—Alexis and quarterback Tuiasosopo—each had over 100 attempts. As a team the Huskies averaged 212 rushing yards per game.

Matt: Which defense will rise to the occasion? No one knows which version of each of these Jekyll-and-Hyde teams will show up. Purdue has handled big games well, but only after staring down sizeable deficits (against Michigan and Ohio State). Washington has consistently struggled in the first quarter, but has always managed--with one exception, at Oregon--to pull games out in the fourth. In this game, the Huskies can't afford to fall far behind Purdue's quick-strike juggernaut, while the Boilermakers could have a hard time coming back against Washington's outstanding rushing offense.

Tom: All those ball carriers will try to eat up the clock. It’s interesting that Purdue held its opponents to 139 rushing yards per game, considering that the Boilermakers play in the typically run-oriented Big 10. But take a little closer look at that stat—many teams scrapped the run against Purdue because they needed to score quickly to keep with Brees and his receivers. Purdue put up almost 33 points per game this season. On the flip side, the Husky front seven—led by junior OLB Jeremiah Pharms, T Larry Tripplett, and DL Marcus Roberson—will try to tee off against Brees’ quick release and Purdue’s multi-receiver sets. Pharms, Tripplett, and Roberson combined for 18 sacks this season.

Matt’s Pick: Washington. Huskies coach Rick Neuheisel (UCLA, 1984) knows what it's like to play and play well in Pasadena on New Year's Day. He should be able to do a better job of expressing how meaningful the game is to his players. After a season of close shaves, Washington pounded rival Washington State on the road, 51-3, indicating the fourth-ranked Huskies really mean business. Under coach Joe Tiller, Purdue has historically had a hard time dealing with prosperity. Unexpected losses to Penn State and Michigan State can only make Boilermaker fans wonder what might have been. Count on Washington to be more mentally ready.

Tom’s Pick: Washington. The Huskies always manage to make it interesting, but this is the same team that rather convincingly beat the Miami Hurricanes earlier this year. Purdue suffered narrow losses to Notre Dame and Penn State before being blown out 30-10 by Michigan State. Nothing seems to come easy for the Huskies, so expect a close one until late, but Washington will hog the ball and shorten the game en route to a 24-20 win.