Why isn't Michigan-Washington at Rose Bowl? CFP determined Big Ten vs. Pac-12 game location

Before the College Football Playoff, a matchup between an undefeated Michigan football team vs. undefeated Washington football almost certainly would have taken place in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, with the two teams looking for a national championship.

In a sign of the times, however, the two teams will instead be playing in Houston at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL's Texans franchise.

As the Pac-12 takes its dying gasps and Washington prepares to join Michigan in the Big Ten Conference, the Wolverines-Huskies game seems like matchup from another era: The two have faced off in the Rose Bowl four times before, in 1978, 1981, 1992 and 1993. They have split those games 2-2, alternating wins.

REQUIRED READING: Michigan DBs know matchup with Washington passing attack is 'gonna come down to us'

Michigan, of course, played in the Rose Bowl last week against No. 4 Alabama of the SEC. The Rose Bowl was part of the CFP semifinals this year, which ultimately meant that it would be a bid between two of the top four teams. With Michigan at No. 1 and Washington at No. 2, they had no chance to play in college football's most prestigious bowl game.

Why isn't Michigan playing Washington in the Rose Bowl this year?

For anyone still unfamiliar with the College Football Playoff, instituted in 2014, Michigan didn't play Washington in the Rose Bowl because the Rose Bowl is a CFP semifinal: It is no contested between the Big Ten and Pac-12 football champions.

That's not to say Michigan and Washington couldn't have played each other in the Rose Bowl this year. But, because Michigan and Washington ended up as undefeated Power Five conference champions, they were ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the final CFP rankings. That means top-ranked Michigan was slotted instead to play the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide, with Washington playing No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

REQUIRED READING: Michigan football's 'one-track mind' steamrolls through season, with one last stop to make

In years the Rose Bowl is not one of the CFP semifinals, it returns to its original format pitting the Big Ten and Pac-12 champions (or, assuming one or both makes the playoff, the conferences' runners-up). This year, that would have been a matchup between No. 7 Ohio State and No. 8 Oregon, the top non-playoff teams from their respective conferences.

College football, of course, will expand to a 12-team playoff starting next season. It is unclear what this means for the future of scheduling the Rose Bowl, outside of knowing the 2024 and 2025 quarterfinals will include the Rose Bowl.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan vs. Washington: Why Big Ten-Pac-12 game isn't at Rose Bowl