It's official.
The TCU Horned Frogs will head to Pasadena to participate in the 2011 Rose Bowl and will face the de facto Big 10 champion Wisconsin Badgers. TCU finished the regular season a perfect 12-0, including an 8-0 record within the Mountain West Conference. The Rose Bowl appearance for the Horned Frogs will mark their second consecutive BCS appearance as TCU appeared in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, losing 17-10 to the Boise State Broncos.
TCU will face a one-loss Wisconsin Badgers team, whose only loss came against Michigan State in October. The Badgers get the nod over the Spartans, who like the Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes finished 7-1 in the Big 10, by virtue of being the highest ranked Big 10 BCS school.
The Horned Frog's top-ranked defense which allowed only 11.4 points per game this season will be put to the test. Wisconsin averages 43.3 points per game, fourth best in the country. The Badgers have scored over 70 points in a game on three occasions this year and are led by their running game, averaging 247 yards per game on the ground.
The Rose Bowl game will be the first of the BCS bowl games to be played. TCU and Wisconsin will kick off on New Year's Day at 5 PM EST, 2 PM PST.