While the University of Southern California Trojans don’t have far to drive, the Penn State Nittany Lions traveled from the other side of the country to play in the 2017 Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, CA. Both teams were given a special trip to the Disneyland Resort yesterday as part of the year’s long tradition for visiting Rose Bowl teams and their staff.
The teams will play in the 103rd Rose Bowl Game on Monday, January 2, 2017. Penn State is the Big Ten Conference Champion while USC won their Rose Bowl Game berth after finishing the regular season with an eight-game winning streak.
USC head coach Clay Helton and Penn State head coach James Franklin were welcomed to Disney California Adventure by Lightning McQueen and friends, along with Disneyland Resort Vice President Patrick Finnegan. Featured USC players at the event included offensive tackle Zach Banner, quarterback Sam Darnold, defensive back Adoree’ Jackson and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Among the Penn State players in Cars Land were linebacker Koa Farmer, wide receiver Chris Godwin, defensive end Garrett Sickels, and center Brian Gaia.
University of Southern California head coach Clay Helton (center) and Penn State head coach James Franklin (right) take a spin on Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
After the ceremony the two teams enjoyed two attractions in Cars Land, joining in a celebratory “dance” aboard micro-cars at Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters and zooming through the desert landscape of Ornament Valley at Radiator Springs Racers.
The 103rd Rose Bowl Game will be the third time that Penn State has faced USC in a Rose Bowl Game. The two teams met in the ninth Rose Bowl Game in 1923, when the Trojans won, 14-3, and in the 2009 Rose Bowl Game, where USC defeated Penn State, 38-24.
(Photos courtesy Disneyland / Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort)