Postgame Notes: Utah vs. Northwestern
12/23/2023 10:08 PM | Football
Postgame Notes
2023 SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Northwestern 14, Utah 7
Las Vegas, Nev. (Allegiant Stadium)
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Kick: 4:36 p.m. PT | End: 7:38 p.m. PT
Attendance: 20,897
General
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
2023 SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Northwestern 14, Utah 7
Las Vegas, Nev. (Allegiant Stadium)
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Kick: 4:36 p.m. PT | End: 7:38 p.m. PT
Attendance: 20,897
General
- Today's game marked Utah's 26th appearance in a bowl game. The Utes are 17-9 all-time in bowl play.
- Head coach Kyle Whittingham is 11-6 in bowl games, with his 11 wins tying for third-most among active FBS head coaches and in the top-10 all-time.
- This is Utah's sixth appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl (1999, 2001, '10, '14, '15, '23). It ties BYU for the most by a single program.
- Utah is 4-2 when playing in the Las Vegas Bowl.
- Northwestern (2018, '23) is the fourth opponent that Utah has faced twice in a bowl game. The others are Georgia Tech (2005, '11), USC (1993, 2001) and West Virginia (1964, 2017).
- Utah has now played in Allegiant Stadium in three straight seasons, including the Pac-12 Championship games in 2021 and '22.
- Utah won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Utes defended the South goal to begin the game.
- In collaboration with the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, Utah held its Moment of Loudness at the end of the third quarter.
Offense
- Returning to game action, running back Micah Bernard made his first start of the season.
- Bernard rushed for a six-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter; it was Bernard's first score of the season and seventh of his career (his last also came in Allegiant Stadium during the 2022 Pac-12 Championship).
- Fellow running back Ja'Quinden Jackson had a 25-yard rush for a first down, late in the first quarter. It was Jackson's longest since a 54-yard scamper on Nov. 4 vs. Arizona State.
- Offensive lineman Spencer Fano made the 12th start of his true freshman season, moving to right tackle for the first time. Fano's previous 11 starts had come at left tackle.
- Tight end Dallen Bentley reeled in his first catch as a Ute late in the third quarter. With that reception, a Utah tight end has caught a pass in 84 of the team's last 85 games.
- Quarterback Luke Bottari entered the game late in the third quarter when Bryson Barnes' helmet came off; Bottari completed his lone pass attempt for a career-long 18 yards.
- Utah was held scoreless through the first three quarters; it was the first such occurrence for the Utes since Oct. 22, 2011 vs. Cal.
- As a team, Utah rushed for 138 yards; it marks the 36th time in the last 38 games that the Utes eclipsed 100 rushing yards.
Defense
- Linebacker Levani Damuni tied a career-high with 12 tackles in the game. It was Damuni's seventh 12-tackle performance of his collegiate career; his last came at Washington earlier this season.
- Damuni reached double-digit tackles for the fifth time this season; all have come in the last six games (since Oregon on Oct. 28).
- Safety Johnathan Hall made his first start as a Ute, and recorded his first career sack as a third-down stop on Northwestern's opening drive.
- Other Utes with career-high tackles included cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn (8), safety Nate Ritchie (tied; 7) Hall (5) and linebacker Hayden Furey (tied; 6).
- Vaughn tied a career-high as well with 1.5 TFL.
- Furey made his first start of the season and fifth of his career. He forced a fumble during the fourth quarter; it was his first career forced fumble.
- Utah forced a three-and-out on Northwestern's game-opening drive. It was the eighth time this season (and third straight bowl game) that a Utah opponent did not record a first down on its game-opening drive.
- After Northwestern's touchdown with 1:20 left on the second quarter clock, the Utah defense forced the following on NU's next five drives: missed field goal, three-and-out, three-and-out, three-and-out, turnover on downs.
Special Teams
- Punter Jack Bouwmeester had two punts for 50-plus yards during the first half, with a long of 55 yards. Bouwmeester finishes the season with 19 punts for 50-plus yards, the most by a Ute since Mitch Wishnowsky in the 2018 season (20).
Players Mentioned
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