Oregon Players Not Interested in the Rose Bowl

Normally, when a team gets a chance to play in Granddaddy of Them All, there's excitement among players

Usually.

Not with the Oregon Ducks. Despite the fact that Oregon is in the driver's seat to get to the Rose Bowl, Duck players aren't exactly thrilled about the idea.

You see, the Ducks want to play in the national championship game, which will be also held in the Rose Bowl a few days after the traditional Pac-12 v Big Ten matchup.

"I don’t want to play in a Rose Bowl unless I’m playing for a national championship,” wide receiver Josh Huff told reporters Monday.

“It was pulling at my nerves,” Huff continued. “I just wish we would have handled things differently when we played those guys [at Stanford] … I don’t mind playing in the Rose Bowl, playing for the fans and my teammates. But deep down I don’t wanna be a prep game for the national championship game.

“If we would have handled our business like we were supposed to, we wouldn’t have had to rely on USC to get back in the Pac-12 championship game. We wouldn’t have to be in the situation we are now.”

True. Had Oregon handled their business, they wouldn't have to be playing in a 'meaningless game' against a bad Big Ten team, which most likely will be Ohio State. 

Perhaps  De’Anthony Thomas summed it up best for how both teams playing in the Rose Bowl this year feel.

“It’s not a big deal at all,” he said. “We already won a Rose Bowl, so it feels like, ‘Whatever.’”