Definition
The 2020 Rose Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game played on January 1 2020 at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California, United States. It served as one of the two College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinal games for the 2019 FBS football season.
Overview
The game featured the Oregon Ducks (representing the Pac‑12 Conference) and the Wisconsin Badgers (representing the Big Ten Conference). Oregon defeated Wisconsin by a score of 28–27. As a CFP semifinal, the winner advanced to the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship, which was subsequently held on January 13 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The matchup was part of the broader 2019–20 bowl season and followed the traditional New‑Year’s Day schedule of the Rose Bowl, a historic annual event that traditionally pits a Pac‑12 team against a Big Ten team.
Etymology/Origin
The term “Rose Bowl” originates from the Rose Parade and the associated football game that have been held in Pasadena since 1902 (the game itself beginning in 1902, then annually from 1916 onward). The year designation (2020) corresponds to the calendar year in which the game was played, rather than the season it concluded (the 2019 NCAA football season).
Characteristics
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | January 1 2020 |
| Location | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California |
| Teams | Oregon Ducks (Pac‑12) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (Big 10) |
| Final Score | Oregon 28, Wisconsin 27 |
| Attendance | Approximately 90,000 spectators |
| Broadcast | Televised in the United States by ESPN and ESPN Radio |
| CFP Role | One of two semifinal games for the 2019 College Football Playoff; the other semifinal was the 2020 Sugar Bowl |
| Key Players | Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert (MVP), Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor (notable performance) |
| Significant Plays | A pivotal 14‑yard touchdown pass from Herbert to wide receiver Noah Fant with 1:42 remaining, giving Oregon a one‑point lead |
| Aftermath | Oregon advanced to the National Championship, where it lost to LSU 42–38; Wisconsin’s season concluded with the loss |
Related Topics
- Rose Bowl Game – The annual college football bowl game traditionally played on New Year’s Day in Pasadena.
- College Football Playoff – The postseason tournament that determines the national champion of NCAA Division I FBS football.
- 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season – The season culminating in the 2020 Rose Bowl and the 2020 CFP National Championship.
- Oregon Ducks football – The football program of the University of Oregon, participant and winner of the 2020 Rose Bowl.
- Wisconsin Badgers football – The football program of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, participant in the 2020 Rose Bowl.
- Rose Parade – The annual parade preceding the Rose Bowl game, part of the "Tournament of Roses" festivities.
All information presented reflects verified sources and publicly available records as of the knowledge cutoff date.