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When an ACC team gets to play in the Rose Bowl and a Big Ten team doesn't, that should have been enough of a clue right there. (Over the past decade or so, Miami, Texas and TCU have all won the Rose Bowl.)
I don't believe other teams playing in the Rose Bowl tells the whole story. If BIG and Pac wanted to keep the traditional game at all costs (and potentially sacrifice an agreement to participate in the bowl rotation and playoff process) I believe the Rose Bowl people would be beholden in some way to oblige. If not legally, then by agreement. BIG and Pac did pretty much that with the former Bowl Alliance and Bowl Coalition; the Rose Bowl was more important than a guaranteed #1 vs #2. Now the playoff is just too much money to pass up.
I know when the Slive complained that Delany wasn't being flexible enough with the Rose Bowl, Delany, as he phrased it, told him to "go get his own bowl game". And so they did -- the SEC vs Big 12 game.
So, some how, some way, Delany and Scott are free to speak on behalf of the Rose Bowl to a large extent. How that is, I'm not sure.