There are 42 college football bowl games this year.

Each one has special events leading up to the kickoff that make the game stand out and heighten the desire of players, coaches and fans to visit the city.

Lawry’s Beef Bowl is the gold standard for special college football events.

Now in its 61st year, the Beef Bowl on LaCienega rivals Disneyland as one of the highlights for the two teams that play in the Rose Bowl.

This year the 11-2 Penn State Nittany Lions from the Big Ten and 9-3 USC will battle at the dinner table and in the Rose Bowl.

The Beef Bowl will host Penn State on Wednesday, Dec. 28 and the Trojans on Thursday, Dec. 29.

Lawry’s Prime Rib on famed Restaurant Row offers a menu consisting of their trademark spinning salad bowl, roasted prime rib of beef, mashed potatoes, whipped cream horseradish, creamed corn and apple pie for desert.

With New Year’s falling on a Sunday, the Rose Parade will be staged and the Rose Bowl will be played on Monday, Jan. 2, at 2 o’clock, in Pasadena,

The game will be televised on ESPN and feature a USC team that has one of the most exciting players in the nation in Adoree’ Jackson and a terrific young quarterback, Sam Darnold.

Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com