is no it a playoff bowl and eritgert of the contract conferences (BIG or PAC-12) have a team in the playoffs, the second place teams in the conference will take its place in the Rose. That's why the Rose pays each if those two $40M/yr for the next 12 years,


I believe the Orange and Sugar bowels have similar arrangements with their contract conferences.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-28/sports/chi-big-ten-pac12-espn-extend-rose-bowl-deal-20120628_1_pac-12-jim-delany-big-ten