Was reading a bit more about what some people are guessing/conjecturing ..... some are thinking that the NYD time slot is so important to the Rose Bowl and its history, that it will ask to become a permanent quarter-final game (all planning to be played on NYE/NYD, as far as I have read), with the highest ranked Big Ten or PAC, if one is in the top 4, automatically slotted there.
Assuming that the Gophers most realistic chance to make the playoff is as the #2 Big Ten team, I'm not sure what that would do to the Rose chances, if that is indeed how they did it.
I'm guessing they'd want to avoid a Big Ten vs Big Ten game, which would likely be a rematch of the Big Ten conf champ game, and even potentially a third match between those schools.
But if the PAC team got it for example (say USC or Oregon, undefeated), then potentially the Gophers winning the first round game (at TCF potentially) could then go to the Rose Bowl for the quarter-final.
All conjecture at this point.