102nd Rose Bowl Game- Behind the Scenes

With the 102nd Rose Bowl Game in less than two months, a lot of preparation for the game has already begun. The Tournament of Roses House in Pasadena is over 100 years old, showcases a valuable collection of Rose Bowl trophies and memorabilia, and is the location where all of the magic of the New Year's Day Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game is planned. I recently went to to the Tournament of Roses headquarters to speak with this year’s president, Mike Matthiessen, about the upcoming Rose Bowl Game and what happens behind the scenes.

Matthiessen talked to me about the most important duties as a Tournament of Roses President, some annual Rose Bowl traditions, and how this year’s Rose Bowl will be different from other years. He has selected a Grand Marshal for this year’s parade—filmmaker Ken Burns. He doesn't know which teams will play in the game.  He says the teams are changing each weekend. 

Matthiessen, whose wife is a USC alum, is rooting for the Trojans to play in the Bowl. He believes that USC is a strong contender to play in the Rose Bowl Game.  To play in the Rose Bowl, USC must win every upcoming game and the Utah Utes need to lose a game. The 102nd Rose Bowl Game, presented by Northwestern Mutual, will be held on January 1, 2016 at 1:30 p.m.