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ROSE BOWL GAME: GEORGIA VS OKLAHOMA

December 27, 2017

Pasadena, California

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your host for today's ceremony, former NFL All Pro and ESPN analyst, Marcellus Wiley.

(Applause.)

MARCELLUS WILEY: That's it? Hey, everybody. How you guys doing this afternoon?

Oh, no, no, no. We're at Disney California Adventure. How you guys doing this afternoon? There you go.

Well, I'm standing here in the middle of Hollywood Land in front of the Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! Attraction. Our friends here at the Disneyland Resort always striving to create new adventures for us that excite us, that challenge us and make a difference in all of our lives.

The same is true with this year's Rose Parade whose theme just happens to be Making a Difference. That's to celebrate the theme and honoring those around us who truly make a difference.

We're here today to celebrate and to honor two great teams who will be squaring off in this year's Rose Bowl Game. So let's turn our attention to football, a sport I know dear to my heart. Can you tell? No. Well, you see these youngsters come out, you'll know the difference, right? A guy who used to do it, and guys who are doing it.

Together, those two teams will be playing in the National Championship Playoff Semifinal Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual on January 1st.

So first there is the Oklahoma Sooners, ranked -- Sooners! No. 2 team in the country and the Big 12 Conference champions. Give them some love, Oklahoma Sooner fans.

Then there is the Georgia Bulldogs, champions of the Southeastern Conference and the No. 3 ranked team in the nation. Give the Bulldogs some love.

Now, this is going to be the first meeting between the two teams, and no matter which side you're rooting for, all of us who are big college football fans, we're ready for a big-time showdown.

So right now it's time to introduce another fellow football fan. Please welcome Vice President Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney, Patrick Finnegan.

PATRICK FINNEGAN: Thank you, Marcellus. Hello, everybody. We are so excited that you joined us today to help us celebrate the Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual.

Talk about a longstanding tradition. The very first Rose Bowl was played on New Year's Day in 1902. In fact, the competing Rose Bowl teams have visited the Disneyland Resort each year since 1960, and today we're honored to continue to partner with our friends from the Tournament of Roses to introduce the teams playing in this year's game.

Like you, I cannot wait for New Year's Day, and I really, really, really can't wait to watch this game. It's going to be awesome. Thank you.

MARCELLUS WILEY: Now let's turn our attention to the Tournament of Roses which produces both the Rose Bowl Game and the 129th Rose Parade. This year the theme of the parade is Making a Difference. Making a Difference is a way to honor and celebrate all the people in our communities who quietly and without desire, without reward or recognition as their intention, they act in selfless, generous, and kind ways to aid or benefit others.

Now it's my great pleasure to welcome the 2018 Tournament of Roses President, Lance Tibbet.

LANCE TIBBET: Thank you, Marcellus, and thank you to our friends and partners here at the Disneyland Resort.

Wow, it has been an incredible honor to be the president of the 2018 Tournament of Roses. I've had the opportunity to travel the world this year to help and provide support to our 2018 parade bands, help them raise funds to make their trip.

During my travels, I've been told time and again what a difference, what a unique and extraordinary opportunity it is to be a participant in either the Rose Parade or the Rose Bowl Game, and what a huge impact it can have.

We are now excited to provide that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience to the Oklahoma Sooners, the Georgia Bulldogs and their fans as they play each other for the very first time.

The College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual is going to be another thrilling Rose Bowl experience.

Now I'd like to introduce seven exceptional young women that have been making a difference for the past four months.

(Introduction of princesses and queen.)

Ladies, thank you for being wonderful ambassadors, and I'd like to wish all of you, along with our partners here at Disneyland Resort, on behalf of the Tournament of Roses, we hope you enjoy a wonderful day and take home treasured memories.

Thank you.

MARCELLUS WILEY: Thank you, Lance. And it's great to have you here with us today.

And now I think it's time. Yep, it's time to meet the head coaches of our teams. First, from the University of Oklahoma, please welcome head coach Lincoln Riley!

(Applause.)

And now, from the University of Georgia, head coach Kirby Smart!

(Applause.)

It's good to see you both here. And, Lincoln, let's start with you and meet your players.

LINCOLN RILEY: Thank you. It's an honor to be here at the Rose Bowl. Just got here last night, but the reputation is certainly well deserved.

We're thrilled to bring a great team here, and looking forward to the game here in a few days.

Want to introduce my guys here. First, Orlando Brown, junior offensive tackle. He's pretty big. Next to him in the blue hat, Steven Parker, one of our senior safeties. Senior outside linebacker, Ogbo Okoronkwo. And junior tight end, Mark Andrews.

MARCELLUS WILEY: Thank you. For a living for ten years in the NFL, I had to go against that. That's why I'm a broadcaster now.

Now to you, Coach Kirby Smart.

KIRBY SMART: Thank you. Go Dawgs! We also just arrived yesterday. Came a little further than they did. Excited to be here in sunny California. It's great to get out there and practice today. Our guys haven't felt heat like that in quite a while. Back home it's been a little more chilly than that.

But we're excited to be here as well. Unbelievable Bowl. I was fortunate to play in this Bowl game in 2009 with the Alabama-Texas game. It's phenomenal to be here. Granddaddy of Them All.

I tell our players all the time, no Bowl will ever treat you as well as the Rose Bowl does. So we're very honored to be here, and very honored to be here. A great Bowl committee, and all the people associated with it have been really good to us thus far.

We've got our four captains with us. Sony Michel is here from Plantation, Florida. Isaiah Wynn from St. Petersburg, Florida. Roquan Smith from Montezuma, Georgia. And Nick Chubb from Cedartown, Georgia. Thank you, guys, and Go Dawgs.

MARCELLUS WILEY: I won't take any offense that neither of you coaches even looked my way let alone said my name. But it's nice to have both coaches here today, both teams here representing, and good luck to both of you guys on Monday.

Now let's get Patrick and Lance back up to the stage, and let's close out the ceremony. Enjoy the rest of the day at Disney California Adventure, and enjoy the Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game. Thank you, guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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