Scoggins: Rose Bowl remains worth a spot on the bucket list, no matter why you go

PASADENA, CALIF. – They came alone or in groups. A pilgrimage of sorts to the destination that will be prominently displayed on Christmas cards sent out across Minnesota in a month or so.

The most famous sign in college sports got a workout on a picturesque Saturday afternoon. One doesn’t visit the Rose Bowl without snapping a photo outside the stadium with that glorious marquee serving as the backdrop.

Stop for a selfie or something more formal with a large gathering of friends, family or frat brothers from generations ago. The allure is the same for all.

And what a beauty it is, a sight for sore eyes. Or eyes that have never seen it in person.

The Gophers finally returned to the Rose Bowl. Not the one that is played on New Year’s Day with a parade preceding it. This visit was a conference game against Big Ten newbie UCLA in mid-October, but the grandeur of the Rose Bowl structure itself cannot be diminished by circumstance.

The visit culminated with a tense finish. A 4-yard touchdown catch by Darius Taylor with 27 seconds left secured a 21-17 win that sent Gophers fans home happy and relieved.

A week after upsetting USC, the Gophers’ follow-up performance wasn’t clean, crisp or easy against a Bruins team that is winless in Big Ten games. But a memorable weekend ended on a high note for the team and large contingent of fans that made the trip.

The inimitable Keith Jackson famously gave the Rose Bowl Game a nickname that is as accurate as it is perfect: “The Granddaddy of Them All.”

Opened in 1922, the stadium is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and an unofficial landmark for gawkers. There is something Rockwellian romantic about the different hues that reflect off the San Gabriel Mountains in the background at sunset.

TV doesn’t adequately capture the stunning visuals.

This is an old stadium that never looks or feels its age. The list of iconic events hosted here is extensive, from Super Bowls to soccer World Cups, but for those of us who love college football, the affection for the Rose Bowl stems from late-afternoon kickoffs on January 1st.

The Gophers had not played here since 1962, a drought that covered multiple generations and caused countless fans to cling to a common sentiment – Please just one time.

“I told my kids that if we ever make it to the Rose Bowl,” long-time fan Bruce Olson said, “I’m going to take you.”

Olson made the trip with his two adult sons, Benton and Peyton. The trio joined nearly 1,200 fans at a pregame party hosted by the university on the golf course on the backside of the stadium. The scene was high energy as fans soaked up the moment.

Gophers officials predicted between 12,000 to 15,000 fans would attend the game. The upset of USC greatly improved the mood of fans making the trip.

The weather gods smiled upon them too: Clear blue skies, temperatures in the low 80s, light breeze. Perfection.

The first half by the Gophers didn’t match the scene. The offense never established a rhythm and everything looked sloppy, allowing the Bruins to take a 10-0 lead at halftime.

The Gophers found energy in the second half, made some plays on both sides of the ball, then pieced together a game-winning drive in the final 2½ minutes.

The aura for a Big Ten regular-season game cannot be measured against the Rose Bowl Game itself, but Gophers fans found plenty of joy in the festivities and the result.

The chance to visit the Rose Bowl for the first time at age 69 was something Bruce Olson couldn’t pass up. He made Hawaiian-themed Gophers shirts for his sons and himself to commemorate the occasion.

Olson’s dad Harold played basketball for the Gophers in the late 1940s. His dad brought him to football games when he was child. The family has held season tickets since the 1960s.

Olson belongs to a group of donors who have tickets in the same section and same tailgate lot at Huntington Bank Stadium. He finally got to check an item off his bucket list.

“This is fantastic,” he said a few hours before kickoff. “We’re really excited about the game and seeing the iconic Rose Bowl.”

Gophers fans received a two-fer: They got to experience the Rose Bowl and celebrate a win.

That’s the definition of a win-win.