Both the Oregon Ducks (12-1) and Florida State Seminoles (13-0) have made their way to the southern California city of Pasadena to compete in the iconic Rose Bowl, which will be held at the Rose Bowl Stadium on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2015. Viewers can watch the game online via live stream - free with subscription - below.
Oregon and FSU will both help unveil an entirely new system known as the College Football Playoff. The results of this game, according to R. Cory Smith of Bleacher Report, will determine who gets a spot in the national championship game in Dallas on Jan. 12, 2015.
"Business started a long time ago," Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman said. "Now we're just enjoying ourselves trying to have fun. But it's all business."
According to the Associated Press, both teams will practice in the Los Angeles area, fulfill media obligations, and participate in local recreation, which included a trip to Disneyland on Saturday. The Seminoles went to Hollywood Boulevard to see the stars on the Walk of Fame while engorging on some tacos.
Smith reported that there will be two Heisman Trophy winners battling it out on the gridiron. They include current recipient Marcus Mariota of Oregon and last year's winner Jameis Winston of FSU.
"Witnessing two Heisman Trophy winners battle is a rarity at the college level," Smith wrote. "In fact, it has only happened two times in the past, with the most recent coming after the 2008 season when Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford faced off."
FSU coach Jimbo Fisher thinks that Thursday's game will shape up to be a special one.
"You have two of the greatest players in college football right now," Fisher said. "That makes for great TV and makes for great competition. It's what it's about - getting the best against the best."
This game will be Fisher's second trip to the Rose Bowl; the Associated Press reported that FSU won the final BCS championship game against Auburn there 34-31. For Fisher, who has coached teams from the South, it was a dream come true.
"You always watched (the Rose Bowl) as a little kid. Watched the tournament of Roses Parade," Fisher said. "I always said that's probably the one game you'll never get to coach in because of how the Big Ten-Pac-1 setup was and to do it two years in a row, it's been a blessing."
Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, who has led the team for two years now, saw the green paisley tie that Fisher wore, giving him some jazz over his attire choice.
"He looked sharp in that green tie," Helfrich said.
While both teams have an equal shot of winning thanks to their brilliant offensive strategies, Smith thinks that the Ducks will win this matchup with the help of Mariota behind them.
"Mariota was as dynamic as any player with 52 total touchdowns to a staggering two interceptions," Smith wrote. "The junior has three or more touchdowns in 11 games this season and has accounted for 19 in his last four games without a pick."
Thursday's game will air on ESPN at 5 p.m. ET. While both options require a subscription and login, online viewers can watch the game online through WatchESPN.com or through the Watch ESPN app available on various devices.
