Positive & Negative Takes from Utah's Rose Bowl loss

Positive and negative takeaways from Utah's second Rose Bowl appearance.

The University of Utah, its players, and fans once again descended on Pasadena, California for a New Year’s Six Rose Bowl matchup. Following last years’ loss to Ohio State, Utah found itself back in the Rose Bowl with a convincing win against USC in the Pac-12 Championship.

As for their opponent, Penn State showed up for the fifth time in Rose Bowl history and 100 years removed from their first appearance. With Michigan and Ohio State both reaching the College Football Playoffs, the Nittany Lions were the next highest ranked Big Ten team which qualified them for the Rose Bowl.

This was the first time that Utah and Penn State had played each other in program history. It was unclear how each team would perform, especially since neither team had played in at least four weeks.

Sadly for Utah and the 60,000 plus traveling fans, it just wasn’t meant to be yet again. The Utes trailed for the majority of the game. With the score 14-14 at half time, Utah failed to produce in the second half with Cameron Rising notably going down injured in the third quarter.

Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) walks with assistance off the field in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions of the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Despite their best efforts, the Utes fell 35-21 to Penn State. A disappointing end to an otherwise impressive campaign.

A lot of questions will be thrown around concerning: Utah’s coaching staff, ‘what if’ scenarios about potential NFL-bound players including Dalton Kincaid and Clark Phillips III electing not to play in this game, and the individual performances of the players on the field.

For now, let’s take a look at what Utah did well in their second consecutive year in the Rose Bowl and what led to another aggravating loss.

Positive - Two Years in a Row, Hoping for a Third

Yes. Utah lost for the second year in a row. However, the team did what needed to be done to reach it this far again which is no small feat. It speaks volumes about a team that overcame multiple injuries and setbacks throughout the season to once again be Rose Bowl contenders. 

Coach Whittingham reminded the media post-game that it took three attempts before Utah managed to win the Pac-12 conference. This is surely a step in the right direction for the program. Of course a win was the desired outcome, but this is sports. One of the teams on the big stage had to lose and unfortunately it fell to Utah to play second fiddle for the second year straight.

It’ll be exciting to see over the next few weeks which eligible seniors will return for another season with the Utes. Whilst the traditional Rose Bowl route won’t be the same next year as it will play host to a College Football Playoff semifinal, players and fans alike will expect a New Year’s Six bowl game appearance at least, and hopefully a win.

Negative - Big Plays

Let’s get this one out of the way early. In a two-score loss it’s hard to ignore Penn State’s two big second half touchdowns. The first came in the third quarter as running back Nicholas Singleton managed to break into the open backfield for 87 yards to the house. The second at the start of the fourth quarter as quarterback Sean Clifford found KeAndre Lambert-Smith taking full advantage of a blown coverage at midfield to carry it the rest of the way, 88 yards for a touchdown.

Utah’s defense giving up big plays has been an issue a few times this season including: a 70-yard touchdown pass against UCLA (also in the Rose Bowl Stadium) and two 50+ yard rushes by Caleb Williams in the Pac-12 Championship against USC.

Even without these two big scores by Penn State, the way the game was handled by both the offense and defense would’ve likely resulted in a more closely contested game with Penn State still being crowned victors.

Positive - Individual Performances

Utah Utes running back Ja'Quinden Jackson (3) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second quarter of the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There’s not many standout performances to acknowledge, but one or two players who showed they weren’t going down without a fight:

Devaughn Vele - With five receptions and a 100 yard game, Vele led Utah’s receivers with notable absences at the tight end position. A game high 47 yard play for the Utes saw Vele on the end of a Rising pass after beating the defender and cleverly coming back to receive the ball. This big gain helped to set up Ja’Quinden Jackson’s touchdown run just a few plays later.

Ja’Quinden Jackson - Speaking of Jackson, who at the beginning of the season was in a quarterback battle with Bryson Barnes, he was perhaps the most impressive in his time on the field. 

The recently turned running back led Utah’s rushers with 81 yards (Avg 6.2) and a touchdown, Jackson shows potential as running back #1 for next year. His ability to spin and break through tackles coupled with his speed in the open field makes him a threat that will likely be utilized more in the future.

SPIN 'EM AND SCORE 🌹🌀 pic.twitter.com/SBJr5CCSUU

— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2023

Negative - Leadership

No doubt there were leaders on the field and on the sideline, but from the very start, Utah didn’t look like the team we’ve been in awe of this season. We’ve witnessed the highs and lows of this team this season. Unfortunately for the Utes, it just didn’t seem that there was a sole leader to pick them up when they were down and rally them to victory.

An already deflated Ute team, down seven, would struggle for the remainder of the game after Rising left with an injury. Credit to Bryson Barnes who did his best as backup to maintain morale, but an interception on his first drive seemed to put Utah out of reach mentally. He did however lead a drive that ended in a consolation touchdown to Jaylon Dixon in the final minutes of the game.

But overall, nobody stepped up after Utah suffered its greatest blow and they were never able to recover.

Positive - Looking to the Future

The game is what it is. The bright side is that the Utes have an incredible and passionate fan base. The football program has shown huge improvements over the last few seasons and has stamped its authority on the Pac-12 conference. Rice Eccles Stadium has remained a fortress, not allowing a loss for over two seasons. If you’re a fan that has lost belief in this team based on this loss then take inventory of the returning talent and the multiple four-star recruits that have committed to the team.

Coach Whittingham has built a program made to last. Players are coming to Utah to not only improve as players but people also. The coaching staff have recognized players who are not only talented but have the potential to be teachable. Utah is reaching the next level of football and it doesn’t happen overnight.

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