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The University of Utah Athletics
Photo by: Anna Fuder/Utah Athletics
Postgame Notes: No. 15 Utah vs. Nebraska
12/31/2025 4:55 PM | Football
Postgame Notes
2025 SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
No. 15 Utah 44, Nebraska 22
Las Vegas, Nev. (Allegiant Stadium)
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Kick: 12:32 p.m. PT | End: 3:53 p.m. PT
Attendance: 38,879
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Las Vegas Bowl MVP: Devon Dampier
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General – Las Vegas Bowl
2025 SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
No. 15 Utah 44, Nebraska 22
Las Vegas, Nev. (Allegiant Stadium)
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Kick: 12:32 p.m. PT | End: 3:53 p.m. PT
Attendance: 38,879
Â
Las Vegas Bowl MVP: Devon Dampier
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General – Las Vegas Bowl
- Today marked Utah's 27th bowl appearance all-time and 20th since the 2000 season. Utah is 18-9 all-time when playing in bowl games and is 5-2 in the Las Vegas Bowl.
- Utah and Nebraska's combined 21 points in the first quarter was the highest since the 2015 Las Vegas Bowl, when Utah scored 35 points (alone) in an eventual win over BYU.
- The announced attendance of 38,879 was the largest for the Las Vegas Bowl since moving to Allegiant Stadium in 2019. That attendance number also ranks ninth all-time for any Las Vegas Bowl.
- Today was head coach Morgan Scalley's inaugural game at the helm of Utah. All-time, Utah head coaches are now 14-10 in their first game.
- Utah broke both the program's single-season records for rushing yards in a season (finishing with 3462) and rushing touchdowns in a season (which now stands at 41).
- Utah is now 3-1Â when playing inside Allegiant Stadium. Previously, the Utes won the Pac-12 Championship here during 2021 and '22 and lost to Northwestern during the 2023 Las Vegas Bowl.
- The Utes finished this season 10-0Â when leading at halftime.
- Utah won the coin toss and deferred. The Utes defended the South goal to begin the game.
- Utah's captains for the game were Lander Barton, Devon Dampier, Levani Damuni and Jaren Kump
- Devon Dampier's game-opening drive touchdown was Utah's seventh opening drive touchdown of the season and ninth such score overall.
- Tight end Dallen Bentley set a new career-long reception with a 45-yard grab during the first quarter.
- Playing just a few miles from his hometown of Henderson, Nevada, tight end JJ Buchanan set career-bests with four receptions and 76 receiving yards.
- Dampier's two rushing touchdowns in the first half pushed the Utes' to a school-record 39 rushing touchdowns for the season.
- Zereoue Williams made his first collegiate start, earning the nod at left tackle. Williams has played in 37 games with the Utes since 2021.
- By throwing for 310 yards and rushing for 148, Dampier became the first Utah player since at least 1995 to rush for over 100 yards and throw for over 300 yards in the same game.
- Dampier is also the first Utah QB to throw for two touchdowns and rush for three TDs in one game since Cameron Rising in 2022 against USC.
- Dallen Bentley went over 100 yards receiving for the first time in his career, finishing with 106 yards while also matching his career-best with six grabs.
- Dampier set a new season-high with 310 passing yards.
- The Utes ended the game with 535 total yards, the sixth time in 2025 they've topped 500 yards of total offense.
- Defensive tackle Aliki Vimahi chipped in a one-yard sack during the second quarter.
- Safety Jackson Bennee made 1.0 TFL, combining for 2.5 in the last two games.
- Defensive end Lance Holtzclaw made his first collegiate start. It was the Boston native's 39th career game played, which includes all 13 games with Utah this season as well as 26 as a member of the Washington program (2022-24).
- Moroni Anae's nine tackles were a new career-high.
- Trey Reynolds matched his career-high with two tackles for loss.
- Rock Caldwell snared his first career interception to stop a Nebraska drive in the fourth quarter.
- Kicker Dillon Curtis punched through a 28-yard field goal late in the second quarter.
- Curtis made five extra points on the day, pushing his program record for PATs in a season to 68.
- Orion Phillips dropped two of his three punts on the day inside the 20.
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballFormer Utah Football Head Coach Urban Meyer inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
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