BCS Bowl Schedule: Wisconsin vs. Oregon Rose Bowl Will Be Class of BCS Slate

Most of the focus will be on the National Championship Game between LSU and Alabama, but there is one BCS bowl that is sure to rise above all others this holiday season. That will be the Rose Bowl, which will pit the No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers against the No. 5 Oregon Ducks.

Over the years, the Rose Bowl has often been considered one of the, if not the, most prestigious bowls. That tradition seems likely to continue as two of the more exciting teams in college football will lock horns this year. The Badgers are making a repeat appearance in the game after losing to TCU last year, while the Ducks are receiving a slight downgrade after playing for all the marbles last season.

Oregon was very much in the title hunt this season before losing a gut-wrenching game against USC a few weeks ago. The Duck were able to rebound, however, and breezed to a Pac-12 Championship over the overmatched UCLA Bruins.

Wisconsin entered the season as the favorite to win the Big Ten, and while there were a couple bumps in the road in the form of losses to Michigan State and Ohio State on Hail Marys, the Badgers scratched and clawed their way to the Big Ten Championship Game and got revenge on the Spartans.

Now, two of the very best offenses in the nation are set to clash in the Rose Bowl. The Badgers have gotten excellent play from quarterback Russell Wilson all year, but the player who makes Wisconsin's offense go is running back Montee Ball.

Ball, who is among the leading candidates to win the Heisman Trophy, rushed for 1,759 yards on the season and has racked up an incredible 38 total touchdowns. This leaves him just one score short of tying the record of former Oklahoma State Cowboys and Detroit Lions star running back Barry Sanders.

While Oregon is a bit more unorthodox than Wisconsin, the Ducks are equally effective. Quarterback Darron Thomas is a highly-underrated passer, and he is also a fantastic athlete as he runs head coach Chip Kelly's spread option to perfection.

Running back LaMichael James may not be in the Heisman running this season, but he was last year. He has suffered through some injuries, but it hasn't compromised his play at all, as he has totaled over 1,600 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. This is despite the fact that Kenjon Barner has 900 yards and 11 scores in his own right.

The Badgers and Ducks are both very capable of doing damage in the passing game, but it is fair to say that the Rose Bowl will feature the two best running games in college football. Normally a run-first team may not be considered exciting, but Wisconsin and Oregon have certainly bucked that trend.

In terms of importance, this game doesn't compare to the National Championship Game as the winning team isn't going to be forever immortalized. As far as pure entertainment level goes, however, I don't think there is any question that Wisconsin and Oregon will put on a much better show for the fans than LSU and Alabama.