For the Rose Bowl Coaches, Another Important Opportunity

James Franklin and Kyle Whittingham have lost close Rose Bowls in epic games. One will leave Pasadena with a momentum surge.

LOS ANGELES | Penn State's James Franklin spent part of his New Year's Eve watching the College Football Playoff semifinals with close friend Raheem Morris, the Los Angeles' Rams defensive coordinator and a godfather to one of his daughters.

They tried to watch casually, but inevitably their coaching instincts took over.

"I wish I could tell you that it was just kind of a watching andenjoying the games," Franklin said Sunday, "but I think as coaches it's kind of hard to do that. You're just trained to look at the game a little bit differently."

Franklin tests his wiring once again Monday, when Penn State plays Utah in the 109th Rose Bowl. Both Franklin and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham have spent the week trading comparisons of their team's similarities. And even their Rose Bowl losses are similar: three-point heartbreakers defined by huge offensive performances and late field goals.

Utah fell to Ohio State 48-45 last year, as Buckeyes receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 15 passes for a bowl-record 347 yards and three touchdowns. Ohio State clinched the victory on Noah Ruggles' 19-yard field goal with 9 seconds remaining.

Six years ago, in Franklin's only Rose Bowl appearance, Saquon Barkley rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns, but the Lions couldn't hold off USC quarterback Sam Darnold (453 yards passing, five touchdowns) in a 52-49 epic. That game ended on USC kicker Matt Boermeester's 46-yard field goal as time expired.

One of these coaches will raise the Rose Bowl trophy toward a 2023 season in which they could push for playoff contention. In fact, Franklin and Whittingham made that connection Sunday.

"We both are going to have momentum going into next year based on what we did and what we have on our current roster," Franklin said. "But obviously, ... there's not too many programs that are able to end their season with a win. We'd like to be one of them, and being able to do it against a really good opponent, I think that's important, too."

Franklin and Whittingham found their kindred spirit this week at the Rose Bowl. Whittingham, Utah's head coach since 2005, spent a few seasons at Idaho State, where Franklin worked several years later. "I'm surprised we haven't gotten any questions about our similar past in Pocatello," Franklin said Sunday.

"Wind never stops blowing there," Whittingham chimed in.

Though they shared an easy charm, Franklin and Whittingham desperately want to win this game. Whittingham rallied Utah from a season-opening loss to Florida, which might have ended its playoff hopes, to two wins over Utah and a second consecutive Rose Bowl appearance. He wants to bring Utah to playoff contention.

"Getting to the top is one thing," Whittingham said, "but staying on top is another. It's a bigger challenge and it's harder to sustain than get their the first time."

Franklin nodded at Whittingham's assessment, having made it himself several times since the 2016 season. The Rose Bowl represents an important transition for Penn State from the post-Big Ten title era to the coming expanded playoff era. Threading that needle with a Rose Bowl win matters, Franklin said.

"Getting here is one thing, and it takes a tremendous amount of hard work and perseverance and a plan and really doing it from the time the season ended last year," Franklin said. "But obviously both of our programs want to try to finish this thing the right way."

No. 11 Penn State meets No. 8 Utah in the Rose Bowl, which kicks off at 5:10 p.m. EST Monday on ESPN.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.