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SB Nation's Jason Kirk has put together a projection of this year's bowl game match ups. In it, he has Nebraska playing Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
Obviously in order to get there, Nebraska has to win the Big Ten. That means beating Iowa this week, which shouldn't be taken for granted. We've all seen what happens when someone overlooks an opponent and Iowa would love for nothing but to ruin Nebraska's season by beating them, which, along with a Michigan win over Ohio State, would send Michigan to the Big Ten title game and potential Rose Bowl berth.
Getting to the Rose Bowl means beating Wisconsin again, which will be no easy task. The Badgers played Ohio State to the wire, losing 21-14 in overtime. Wisconsin's defense held the Buckeyes to 236 total yards while the Badger offense racked up 360 yards of their own. Braxton Miller completed 10-of-18 passes for 97 yards and rushed 23 times for 48 yards.
Bottom line - Wisconsin won't be anything like a pushover.
Stanford has a similar path to the Rose Bowl, although harder than Nebraska's in that they must beat the same opponent twice to win the Pac-12. The Tree plays UCLA next week, and whether they win or lose, will play them again in the Pac-12 title game.
By virtue of their upset win over Oregon last night, Stanford has won the Pac-12 North Stanford can win the Pac-12 North by beating UCLA this week. If they lose to UCLA, then Oregon can win the Pac-12 North by beating Oregon State.
UCLA has already won the Pac-12 South by sucking the life out of USC.
Right now it looks like Nebraska will play the winner of the Pac-12 for the Rose Bowl. Neither Stanford, Oregon nor UCLA have a shot at the national title game, and the Rose Bowl will take the Pac-12 champion to preserve that Big Ten vs Pac-12 (PAC Whatever) to maintain history, tradition, and the like.
Nebraska and Stanford have met before in the Rose Bowl, in the Cornhuskers first bowl game, in 1941. Stanford won that game, 21-13.
Nebraska vs Stanford in the Rose Bowl?
How 'bout it's time for a little payback?