On New Year's Day the 100th annual Rose Bowl will commence.

#4 Michigan State looks to continue their winning ways against PAC 12 champ and #5-ranked Stanford. The last time Michigan State played in the Rose Bowl was in 1988. That year they beat a good USC team by a score of 20-17. Meanwhile Stanford didn't have to travel far again. They played in the Rose Bowl game one year ago when they beat Michigan State's Big Ten rival the Wisconsin Badgers.

While the Rose Bowl appearance is a welcome change for a Michigan State squad that has fallen short in the past, Stanford is peeved it blew its chances to get to the Vizio BCS National Title game. With two losses on the season to Utah and USC, Stanford's national championship aspirations all but vanished. Both losses combined to equal only nine points. Though it isn't for all the marbles the Rose Bowl is still the premiere bowl destination outside of the title game. So if you're expecting Stanford to lay an egg and play uninspired football, your wrong.

"I don't live with regrets," Stanford Coach Shaw said. "I know there's going to be bumps in the road and a whole bunch of games where they're on the edge of a knife."

Stanford player David Yankey echoed his head coach's sentiments.

"'You can look back, and look at the what ifs, but you can't change the past,' Stanford guard David Yankey said Thursday."

Yankey went on to say, "That's why people love college football. ... A game in August and September can change your season."

Stanford clearly has a lot more to accomplish in this game and it wants to head into the 2014 season ready to achieve an undefeated season. The fact that they aren't ticked off about having to play in the same game two years running is admirable, which starkly contrasts what Oregon thought about a potential return trip to Pasadena.

"I don't want to play in a Rose Bowl unless I'm playing for a national championship," Oregon wide receiver Josh Huff told reporters last month.

"It's not a big deal at all," De'Anthony Thomas said. "We already won a Rose Bowl, so it feels like, 'Whatever.'"

To be fair, Huff added in that the squad's younger players would get some welcome big game experience.

Michigan State on the other hand is ecstatic to be in the Rose Bowl. They toppled the #2 team in the nation, Ohio State, in the Big Ten Championship and come into the game ready to play. Interestingly enough, Michigan State could've lost the title game and still wound up in California.

The 2014 edition of the Rose Bowl will surely be a competitive matchup of two top ranked defenses. Who are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments section below.