2015 Rose Bowl, Iowa vs. Stanford: Date, time, location and more

The Granddaddy of Them All won’t have the luster of being a College Football Playoff semifinal like it did on New Year’s Day a year ago, but instead the Rose Bowl will return to its traditional matchup of the Big Ten and Pac-12.

Still, it was a Pac-12 team that came out on top in 2014, although it was Florida State of the ACC that instead took the Big Ten’s place, while Ohio State ventured to the Sugar Bowl. The Pac-12 carries the winning record in the game all time with a 49-43-3 mark, while the Big Ten sits at 31-36.

No bowl game is older than the Rose Bowl, which hosted its first game on New Year’s Day in 1902 between Stanford and Michigan. Since 1999, it has rotated through a few different title sponsors and is currently known as The Rose Bowl presented by Northwestern Mutual.

Here is everything you need to know to get ready for this year’s Rose Bowl:

Date and time: Friday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET

TV channel: ESPN

Location: Pasadena, Calif.

Stadium: Rose Bowl, 92,542

Last year’s score: Oregon 59, Florida State 20

Last year’s attendance: 91,322

Last year’s TV rating: 14.8

Last year’s payout for each school: $18 million

Teams with the most all-time appearances: USC, 33

Teams with the most all-time wins: USC, 24

Iowa fans will be rightly devastated that their team isn’t in the College Football Playoff. The Hawkeyes rolled through the Big Ten West for the first 12-0 season in their history this season, but a last-minute loss to hard-to-kill Michigan State leaves Iowa on the outside looking in at the top four.

Yet this remains a team few will be stoked to play against. Quarterback C.J. Beathard is a gamer, 13-1 as a starter with a 2,500-yard, 15-touchdown, four-interception stat line this season. Jordan Canzeri is a nice starting running back, and he’s had plenty of help this year from backfield mates LeShun Daniels and Akrum Wadley. The Hawkeyes’ suffocating defense, though, is what paced the team all season long. Cornerback Desmond King (eight interceptions) has played like an All-American opposite solid corner Greg Mabin and next to impressive safeties Jordan Lomax and Miles Taylor.

Top to bottom, Iowa is solid. It was just 49th nationally in points scored per game, but it was top 15 by points allowed and avoided playing a clunker all year. The Hawkeyes can play with anybody, because they defend the pass brilliantly and have enough pieces on offense to move the ball well enough. They’ll be an unfortunate team to draw.

Last bowl game: 2014 season’s TaxSlayer Bowl (45-28 loss to Tennessee)

All-time bowl record: 14-13-1

Head coach’s bowl record: Kirk Ferentz is 6-6 in bowls.

Stanford started off their season with what continues to be one of the more confusing, and simultaneously sensible losses to the Northwestern Wildcats. After the opener, the Cardinal would rip off eight straight wins, reinserting themselves into the College Football Playoff discussion. A loss to Oregon essentially ended their playoff hopes, but they still won their final three games over Cal, Notre Dame (knocking them out of the playoff) and USC in the Pac-12 Championship.

Stanford was successful in 2015 because they know how to sit on the ball like nobody else. All-world running back/wide receiver/return man Christian McCaffrey was the key cog in the offense, accounting for over 2,000 yards of total offense and 10 TD. He is one of the most dynamic weapons in the college game, and someone who is nearly impossible to defend for a full four quarters. Kevin Hogan showed improvement, as well, throwing for 2,644 yards with a 68.3% completion percentage and 9.34 yards per attempt.

The key to beating Stanford is to beat them at their own game. Keeping the ball away from their time-sucking offense and McCaffrey will force them to score at a quicker pace than they’re used to, and could force them into giving Hogan move responsibility than they like to. The near-Playoff team would be a tough matchup for any team in the country, Playoff or not.

Last bowl game: 2014 Foster Farms Bowl (45-21 win over Maryland)

All-time bowl record: 12-13-1

Head coach’s bowl record: David Shaw is 2-2 in bowl games.