It's a shame that neither team is happy to be in this historic bowl, the Grand Daddy of them all. But Michigan should get out of its funk quickly, because the Wolverines still have a shot at getting the AP national title -- just as the Trojans did in 2003 when they were left out of the BCS Championship Game.
If both teams show up mentally prepared to play, this could be a classic Rose Bowl matchup and the best of all the BCS games. The position matchups are better than in any other BCS game. For example, Chad Henne and John David Booty are about even at the quarterback spot. Michigan's running game has an edge with Mike Hart, but USC has the advantage in the passing game with receivers Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett.
But give Michigan the edge on defense with its eighth-rated total defense, which allows only 14.6 points per game. For this reason, give Michigan the edge in the game if the Wolverines get over the disappointment of not playing in the BCS Championship Game.
-- Rod Gilmore