No. 7 Utah takes on No. 9 Penn State in Monday’s Rose Bowl as two of the best teams from the Pac-12 and Big Ten go head-to-head. The Utes needed tiebreakers to earn a trip to the Pac-12 championship game but beat USC 47-24 to win the league for the second straight year. Prior to this run, the Utes had never won the Pac-12 since moving to the league in 2011.
Penn State returned to its winning streak under James Franklin, hitting the 10-win plateau for the first time since 2019. Before a bizarre 11-11 stretch the last two seasons, the Nittany Lions reached three New Year’s Six Bowls in the previous four seasons. Penn State beat every unranked team on its schedule, but lost to CFP contenders Ohio State and Michigan by 37 points combined.
Utah played in the Rose Bowl last season and lost a 48-45 shootout to Ohio State. Penn State also played a smash in their last Rose Bowl, losing 52-49 to USC in the 2016 season in one of the most exciting Rose Bowls of all time. Expect fireworks when these two programs collide for the first time in history.
Follow live updates: Penn State vs. Utah in the 2023 Rose Bowl
How to watch the Rose Bowl live
date: Monday 2 January | time: 5 p.m. ET
Location: Rose Bowl—Pasadena, California
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
Penn State vs. Utah: Must know
Experienced QBs: Few games in college football offer as high a level of quarterback experience as Monday’s Rose Bowl. Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford threw for more than 10,000 yards and 84 touchdowns during his five-year career, which eventually concluded with a trip to the Rose Bowl. Cameron Rising only started for Utah two years but has 45 touchdown passes and 12 touchdown carries of his own over the past two seasons. The quarterbacks make these units work. The Rose Bowl should feature high-quality college quarterback play.
star runner: Penn State boasts one of the most exciting young backfields in the nation. Freshman running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 1,771 yards and 19 touchdowns in sensational debut seasons and breathed life into a Nittany Lions running game that has been patchy since Miles Sanders’ departure. The offensive line is still blocking a bit inconsistently for the run, but the dynamic pairing of the running backs will pose a unique challenge to Utah’s defense.
The next man: Utah entered the 2022 season with the best combination of tight ends this side of Georgia. After senior Brant Kuithe suffered a season-ending cruciate ligament rupture, Dalton Kincaid emerged as the top tight end in the Pac-12 and a legitimate All-America contender. Unfortunately for Utah, Kincaid retired from the Rose Bowl after dealing with injuries in the second half of the season. Utah’s tight-end factory is put to the test. Australia’s Thomas Yassmin had 300 yards and five touchdowns in relief from Kincaid, including 81 yards and a touchdown in the Pac-12 title game. Senior Logan Kendall could also get into the mix after catching a touchdown against Stanford. Kyle Whittingham always has his tight ends ready, but this will be a unique challenge.
Rose Bowl Prediction Tips
Featured Game | Utah Utes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Despite an impressive 10-win campaign, Penn State is relatively unproven against college football’s elite with zero wins over ranked opponents. Utah wasn’t perfect with close losses to UCLA and Oregon, but the Utes didn’t flinch when faced with superior athletics against USC. Whittingham has never won a Rose Bowl and this could very well be his moment. Prediction: Utah -2
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