There is always excitement surrounding the Rose Bowl, but this historic staple of college football is anticipated even more in 2024 with the arrival of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Michigan Wolverines for the College Football Playoff semifinal.
The game will take center stage, but the event will also have its usual festival atmosphere with the Rose Bowl Parade and pre-game spectacle, halftime show, and postgame ceremony.
Who Is Singing the National Anthem at the Rose Bowl?
It seems the Rose Bowl is not straying too far from tradition, as it will be the Michigan Marching Band that performs the national anthem pre-game. One of the biggest and most historic marching bands in college football, the Michigan Marching Band, is well-versed in performing during big occasions.
In their history, the band has played some big events. They played during Super Bowl VII while also playing during games for the Detroit Lions and MLB team, the Detroit Tigers.
MORE: How Big is the Michigan Marching Band?
It also isn’t the first time that The Michigan Marching Band has performed at the Rose Bowl because they traveled with the team during the 1948 Rose Bowl, where the Wolverines defeated USC 49-0.
The band is over 100 years old, with their first performance coming in February 1897 at the Law School’s annual observance of Washington’s birthday. The band continued to grow from there and performed at many different games across all the different sports on campus.
Their first performance at a football game came in November 1897 when, with just 25 members, they headed to Detroit to cheer on the Wolverines, who defeated Minnesota 14-0.
Performing the national anthem will cap off what will be a busy day for the band, which will also be a part of the halftime entertainment and the annual Rose Bowl Parade.
Band member Kassidy Bright spoke to WoodTV about her excitement about playing during the Rose Bowl’s festivities. “I mean, it’s every band kid’s dream to come in and march in this parade,” she said. “Even though it’s slightly intimidating, I’m so ready for it.”
MORE: Who Is Performing the Halftime Show at the Rose Bowl?
Another band member is confident of a Michigan win. Piccolo player Meg Vandraager said, “I feel like I’ve learned a lot and it’s great to show this on such a great stage. I think we’re all super excited to beat the Bama Tide.”
Michigan is favored over Alabama by -1.5 points, but the contest is expected to be hard-fought and a close matchup. You can find our full preview here: Rose Bowl Prediction: Michigan vs. Alabama Odds, Spread, DFS Picks, and More
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