BCS Championship Game

The interest and passion surrounding the this year's  BCS National Championship Game is tremendous. Finally, after years of conflict surrounding the BCS system and who gets to play in the BCS Championship game, we have the two undipusted best teams in the nation, in the USC Trojans and Texas Longhorns, colliding in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. This should be an instant classic that will live up to all the pre-game hype.  The other BCS bowls also present compelling match-ups, with the Ohio State-Notre Dame and Florida State-Penn State games standing out as battles between traditional NCAA Football Heavyweights.  For a look at all the 2005-2006 Bowl game match-ups, check out eBay's College Bowl Schedule. There's a great selection of tickets available for the in-demand games.

The Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl is the oldest college football bowl game, and steeped in a rich tradition. The 1st ever Rose Bowl took place in 1902 with Michigan destroying Stanford, 49-0. Early games took place in Pasadena's Tournament Park, until the Rose Bowl was built in 1923. Beginning in 1947, the game became a match-up of the conference champions from the Big 10 and Pac 10. In 1998, this traditional pairing was altered when the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) system was created. Team selection is now tied to the other three BCS bowls (Sugar, Fiesta and Orange Bowls) and the Rose Bowl hosts the BCS Championship game once every 4 years.

Texas Longhorns vs. USC Trojans

In last year's game, Texas pulled off a stunning comeback to dash Michigan, 38-37. This game fulfilled all the pre-game expectations and showed the talent and potential of the Texas squad. As always, Texas fans travelled in mass, and tickets were in huge demand. Texas is back this year, showcasing a spotless 12-0 record, led by QB Vince Young. Although Young will likely finish 2nd in the Heisman voting (behind USC's Reggie Bush), he's not doubt one of the most exciting players in the country.

USC has escaped trouble all year, including pulling off a huge victory over Notre Dame in probably the most exciting game of the college season. Besides narrowly escaping trouble against scrappy Fresno State (thanks to Bush's 500+ yards total offense) and ASU, USC has looked unbeatable, showcasing NFL level talent at numerous positions. Besides likely Heisman winner and #1 NFL draft pick Bush, the Trojans feature last year's Heisman winner Matt Leinart at QB, dangerous RB Lendale White and WR Dwayne Jarrett. The Trojans are going for their 3rd straight national title, and have won 34 games in a row.

Expect this to be a close game, with plenty of scoring. Both defenses are capable, but the USC defense in particular has shown the potential to give up plenty of points.  My prediction is Texas upsets USC to win its first National title since 1970. Score: 35-31

Rose Bowl Tickets

Tickets for this year's game are in high demand as tickets are in short supply. With the abundance of tickets going to the schools and sponsors, the average fan will find it difficult to get tickets. For instance, USC sold-out 90k capacity LA Memorial Coliseum this year, but it's alumni, students etc. only were allocated about 20k tickets. That leaves 70k + USC fans alone looking for tickets (as well as the huge Texas contingent). Fortunately, there are tickets available on eBay - click here for the latest selection of tickets, available via auction and fixed price. eBay also has a Bowl Schedule Page, where you can seee the ticket selection for all this year's Bowl games.