Even though kickoff for this year’s game is still a few hours away, the L.A. Times is already looking ahead — to next year’s BCS Championship Game in New Orleans.

With Michigan and USC set to return a boatload of their best players, pundits (especially those at ABC/ESPN, who is televising today’s game) are already buzzing that this year’s Rose Bowl matchup could be reunited in the Big Easy in 2008. The Times takes that buzz to the next level, providing a look this morning at the road both teams would have to follow (including the Trojans’ brutal road schedule, which includes stops in South Bend, Eugene, Berkeley, and Lincoln.) to reach next year’s championship in the Superdome.

In the interim, there’s just that little matter of today’s game, and subduing the rhinos on Michigan’s D-line.

Road to New Orleans in 2008 [L.A. Times]