The 2023 Rose Bowl features the 10-2 Penn State Nittany Lions against the 10-3 Utah Utes. Here is the 2023 Rose Bowl preview.
Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2)
Penn State won 10 games to make their second-straight bowl game. They defeated four teams who went to bowl games: Purdue, Ohio, Minnesota and Maryland. Their only losses were to Ohio State and Michigan, who were both in the College Football Playoff.
Offensively, Penn State puts up 35.8 points per game, ranking them 19th in the country. The Nittany Lions pass for 250.3 yards (ranked 48th) and rush for 182.1 yards per game (ranked 43rd).
Sean Clifford is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football. This season, he has passed for 2,543 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 63.6 percent completion. His top receiver Parker Washington has opted out of this game. Mitchell Tinsley will be the leading receiver playing in the game with 528 yards and four touchdowns.
Freshman Nicholas Singleton has led the team in rushing with 941 yards and 10 touchdowns. Kaytron Allen has also had some run in the backfield with 830 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
Defensively, the Nittany Lions concede 18 points per game, which ties them for ninth in the country. They give up 105.1 rushing yards (ranked 14th) and 212.8 passing yards per game (ranked 47th). Safety Ji’Ayir Brown has the team-high in tackles with 66. Abdul Carter has led the team with 6.5 sacks. Kalen King has been a star in the secondary with 15 passes defended and two interceptions.
Utah Utes (9-3)
Utah won nine games to make their second-straight bowl game. The Utes won five games against bowl-eligible teams: USC (twice), Washington State, Oregon State and San Diego State. Their three losses, to Florida, UCLA and Oregon, all came to bowl-eligible teams.
The offense scores 40 points per game, ranking them eighth in the country. They pass for 252.5 yards (ranked 45th) and rush for 220.2 yards per game (ranked 10th).
Cam Rising has been great for the Utes over the last two years. He has passed for 2,939 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 66.2 percent completion. Seven players have at least 200 receiving yards on the season. The top receiver is Dalton Kincaid, who has opted out of this game. Devaughn Lee is the active leader in receiving yards at 595.
Top running back Tavion Thomas was injured and is now opting out for the bowl game. Micah Bernard, Ja’Quinden Jackson and Jaylon Glover each have played well in the backfield this season with 474, 450 and 360 rushing yards this season respectively.
The Utes allow 20.4 points per game, ranking them 22nd in the country. They give up 107 rushing yards (ranked 16th) and 218.2 passing yards per game (ranked 57th). Cole Bishop and R.J. Hubert have led the team with 77 and 75 tackles respectively. Gabe Reid has the team-high with 5.5 sacks. Zemaiah Vaughn has played well in the secondary with nine passes defended.
Prediction
Utah has the offense to outscore Penn State in this game. Cameron Rising has been a more effective quarterback and the Utes will win because of it.
Utah Utes 36 Penn State Nittany Lions 32
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