Wisconsin Coach Bret Bielema, center, speaks during a news conference at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011. Wisconsin and Oregon are scheduled to play in the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game in Pasadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Many prognosticators are projecting Notre Dame as a great fit in the Rose Bowl. We all know about Notre Dame’s virtues this year — national brand, talented team, hadn’t played in college football’s Mecca since the Four Horsemen era. But unless the Pac-12′s second-best team doesn’t finish in the BCS’ final 14, it won’t happen.

The Big Ten, Pac-12 and Rose Bowl are married forever and always. They are full partners in their relationship. In 2007, the Rose Bowl lost top-ranked Big Ten champion Ohio State to the BCS championship. The Rose Bowl had the first replacement pick and selected 9-3 Illinois, which was 13th in the final BCS standings. The Rose could have tabbed 11-2 Missouri (sixth), which beat Illinois in the opener that year. It could have picked 11-1 Kansas (eighth) or 10-3 Boston College (14th), which featured terrific quarterback Matt Ryan. Instead the Rose Bowl opted for the Illini and a traditional Big Ten-Pac-10 match-up, which ended in a 49-17 USC victory over Illinois.

The point is, even with better or high-profile programs around, the Rose Bowl always will pick the traditional match-up if it’s available. Two years ago, the Rose Bowl was required to pick TCU. It did. Unless a second Pac-12 school doesn’t qualify, there’s no way it won’t revive its traditional match-up.

ALSO BEARS WATCHING: Louisiana Tech (9-1) ranked 20th last week in the BCS standings. If it reaches the top 12 or the top 16 and ahead of an automatic-qualifying conference champion, it will compete in a BCS bowl. The Bulldogs beat Illinois and Virginia in non-conference play and face two eight-win teams — Utah State and San Jose State — to close the season. Louisiana Tech’s only loss was 59-57 to Texas A&M, which gives it some credibility. I’m not predicting a BCS berth yet, but it’s possible for Louisiana Tech to move past either the Big Ten or Big East champion and into the top 16. That probably would open up the Sugar Bowl.

BCS BOWLS

BCS Championship — Oregon vs. Kansas State

Nation’s most dynamic offense against possible Heisman Trophy winner

Rose — Wisconsin vs. Stanford

Badgers, Cardinal may not deserve spot here, but deserves ain’t got nuthin’ to do with it

Fiesta — Notre Dame vs. LSU

Fiesta won’t pass up Notre Dame, and LSU travels better than Florida

Sugar — Alabama vs. Oklahoma

First installment of the Champions Bowl, unless Louisiana Tech qualifies

Orange — Florida State vs. Louisville

This is why the Orange Bowl’s next round includes the ACC vs. the SEC, Big Ten or Notre Dame

BIG TEN BOWLS

Capital One — Michigan vs. Florida

Michigan would get a chance to redeem itself against a prime SEC opponent

Outback — Nebraska vs. Georgia

Oftentimes this game could be rechristened as the “Disappointment Bowl”

Gator — Michigan State vs. South Carolina

Pretty strong contrast between the head coaches

Buffalo Wild Wings — Northwestern vs. Texas Tech

Kain Colter gets his chance at payback against the Red Raiders two years ago

Meineke — Minnesota vs. TCU

Gophers lose all their trophy games but still 5th Legends Division team to earn bowl berth

Heart of Dallas — Utah (replaces Big 12) vs. San Jose State (replaces Big Ten)

I suppose Purdue, Indiana, Iowa and Baylor still have a shot here but can’t predict it

Little Caesar’s — Toledo vs. Ohio (replaces Big Ten)

At least they didn’t play one another in regular season this year

BIG 12 BOWLS

Cotton — Texas vs. Texas A&M

Different holiday weekend, maybe even more hate and intensity

Alamo — Oklahoma State vs. USC

Wonder what controversy Lane Kiffin would find in San Antonio

Holiday — Iowa State vs. UCLA

Two more wins, heck maybe even one, for ISU could earn a San Diego trip

Pinstripe — West Virginia vs. Syracuse

Schools together turned the Big East into the Big Least

OTHERS

• Chick-fil-A — Clemson vs. Mississippi State
• Music City — Georgia Tech vs. Missouri
• Liberty — Tulsa vs. Ole Miss
• Compass — Tennessee vs. Central Florida (Big East replacement)
• Independence — North Carolina State vs. Vanderbilt
• Sun — Virginia Tech vs. Arizona
• Las Vegas — Boise State vs. Oregon State
• Kraft — Navy vs. Washington
• New Mexico — Nevada vs. Arizona State
• Russell — Miami vs. Rutgers
• Belk — Duke vs. Cincinnati
• Military — Ball State (ACC replacement) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (Army replacement)
• New Orleans — Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech (Conference USA replacement)
• Armed Forces — Air Force vs. SMU
• Hawaii — Fresno State vs. East Carolina
• GoDaddy — Middle Tennessee State vs. Northern Illinois
• Potato — Utah State vs. Kent State
• Poinsettia — BYU vs. San Diego State
• Beef O’Brady’s — Houston vs. Louisiana-Monroe (Big East replacement)