Upcoming Event: Football at No. 15 BYU on October 18, 2025 at 6 p.m.
6 p.m.
Football
at No. 15 BYU
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
The University of Utah Athletics
Postgame Notes: Rose Bowl Game vs. No. 11 Penn State
1/2/2023 8:36 PM | Football
Postgame Notes
109th Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
No. 11 Penn State 35, No. 8 Utah 21
Pasadena, Calif. (Rose Bowl)
Mon., Jan. 2, 2023
Kick: 2:11 p.m. PT | End: 5:31 p.m.
Attendance: 94,873 (sellout)
Â
General • Rose Bowl Game
General • Game
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
109th Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
No. 11 Penn State 35, No. 8 Utah 21
Pasadena, Calif. (Rose Bowl)
Mon., Jan. 2, 2023
Kick: 2:11 p.m. PT | End: 5:31 p.m.
Attendance: 94,873 (sellout)
Â
General • Rose Bowl Game
- Utah (2022, '23) is the first Pac-12 team to appear in consecutive Rose Bowl games since Stanford did so in 2013 and '14.
- The Utes' 11 third-down conversions made ranks fifth-most by a team in Rose Bowl Game history, and the 19 third-down attempts for the team is tied for second-most in Rose Bowl Game history.
General • Game
- Utah is 17-8 all-time when playing in bowl games and 11-5 under head coach Kyle Whittingham.
- Utah is 25-16 when playing as a ranked team in the College Football Playoff poll.
- Head coach Kyle Whittingham, the winningest leader in program history, is 154-74 in 18 seasons at the helm of the Utes, plus the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. Including his time as an assistant coach (1994-2004), Whittingham has been on staff for 354 games, 228 as head coach.
- The Utes have seven 10-win seasons under Whittingham (2008, '09, '10, '15, '19, '21, '22).
- Utah has nine consecutive years of winning seasons, including 2022, dating back to 2014. The Utes have finished with a winning season in 16 of Whittingham's 18 years as head coach.
- All-time, the Utes are 10-15 against current members of the Big Ten Conference. Utah's last Big Ten win came vs. Indiana, a 26-24 result in the Foster Farms Bowl on Dec. 28, 2016.
- Whittingham is 4-3 against current members of the Big Ten.
- Utah won the coin toss and deferred. The Utes defended the South goal to begin the game.
- Both teams were accompanied for the coin toss by Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal Gabby Giffords and Tournament of Roses President Amy Wainscott.
- In collaboration with the Rose Bowl Game, Utah's "Moment of Loudness" took place during the third quarter.
Offense
- Quarterback Cameron Rising made his 25th start as a Ute and second in the Rose Bowl Game, passing 8-of-21 for 95 yards and a touchdown, as well as 10 rush attempts (47 yards) before exiting due to injury in the third quarter.
- Rising was relieved by Bryson Barnes, who made his 10th appearance of the season and second career appearance in the Rose Bowl Game. Barnes was 10-of-19 for 112 yards and a touchdown. Each quarterback had one interception apiece.
- Wide receiver Devaughn Vele eclipsed 1,000 career receiving yards during the second quarter. Vele (five catches, 100 yards) now has 1,096 receiving yards in his 37-game career.
- Rising ran a fourth-down keeper for three yards during the second quarter–it was Utah's third straight successful fourth-down conversion dating back to the Colorado game on Nov. 26.
- Tight end Thomas Yassmin caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Rising during the second quarter. It was the 18th touchdown reception by a Ute tight end this season and marks the seventh game in the last eight that a Utah tight end has made a receiving touchdown.
- The strike to Yassmin was Rising's 46th career touchdown pass, tying Rising for sixth-most all time in Utah history alongside Tyler Huntley (2016-19).
- Running back Ja'Quinden Jackson had a 19-yard rushing touchdown during the second quarter; it is Jackson's team-leading ninth rushing touchdown of the season, all coming since he converted to running back before the Arizona State game on Sept. 24. Jackson has six rushing touchdowns in the last three games (3 at Colorado, 2 vs. USC in the Pac-12 Championship).
- Jackson's touchdown was the 38th rushing touchdown by the Utes this season, resetting the program record (previously 37 during the 2021 season).
- Jackson had a 30-yard rush late in the third quarter. It marked the fourth game in the last five that Jackson has had a rushing attempt of 30-plus yards.
- Jackson eclipsed the 10-carry mark for the third straight game and fifth time this season.
- Fellow running back Micah Bernard had his sixth double-digit carry game of the season (11 attempts for 59 yards).
- Wide receiver Jaylen Dixon recorded a receiving touchdown for the second straight game.
- Rising moved up the Utah record book in the following categories:
- Season pass attempts: eighth (385 in 2022)
- Season completions: fourth (249 in 2022)
- Season passing yards: sixth (3,034 in 2022)
- Career touchdown passes: tied with Tyler Huntley for sixth (46)
- As a team, Utah finished the season with 3,047 net rushing yards, second-highest in program history (behind only the 1984 team which amassed 3,263 yards).
Defense
- Safety Sione Vaki recorded eight tackles in the game, one short of Vaki's career-high and his third game as a Ute with six-plus stops.
- Linebacker Lander Barton has a career-high 3.0 TFL, resetting his previous best of 1.0 (three times, last at Colorado).
- Fellow linebacker Karene Reid also had a career-high TFL (2.0), resetting his previous career-high of 1.5 (three times, last at Washington State).
- Utah's 7.0 TFL as a team are the most for the team in a bowl game since the Utes had 8.0 vs. Texas in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 31, 2019.
- The three sacks for the Utes also match the most for a bowl game since the Alamo Bowl vs. Texas (3).
- Utah held its opponent scoreless on its opening drive for the 11th time this season (sixth three-and-out). The Utes also kept Ohio State to a three-and-out to begin last year's Rose Bowl Game.
Special Teams
- Punter Jack Bouwmeester provided a career-long 52-yard punt in the first quarter.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
P
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
TE
/ FootballCrimson Corner with Bill Riley - John White "The Wolfman"
Wednesday, October 15
Utah Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | Football's Star Lotulelei
Monday, October 13
Utah Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | Football's Nate Orchard
Monday, October 13
Head Coach Kyle Whittingham weekly press conference - 10.13.25
Monday, October 13