While it isn't my cup of tea, I'm told that part of the full experience of the Rose Bowl is the Tournament of Roses Parade, which starts at 8am Pacific on January 1st. With the Rose Bowl kickoff slated for 2pm Pacific, it feels like it would cut into tailgating time. Like I said, not my cup of tea.
Still, if you decide to go, here is the route map from the Tournament of Roses website:
