Utah faces Penn State as the sun sets on Rose Bowl era

PASADENA, Calif. – The solar often units behind Arroyo Seco late within the third quarter of the Rose Bowl. The second is usually spectacular, with clouds turning pink and orange whereas the San Gabriel Mountains gentle up in dazzling reds and yellows amid the dying rays.

The solar can be setting on an period of Rose Bowl historical past Monday when No. 7 Utah (10-3, No. 8 CFP) faces No. 9 Penn State (10-2, No. 11 CFP).

“We’re taking part in within the final, I suppose, conventional Rose Bowl,” Penn State defensive deal with Nick Tarburton mentioned.

The 109th version of the Granddaddy of Them All is the final that’s assured to characteristic the sport’s time-honored pairing of Pac-12 and Huge Ten groups. The sport’s standing as a Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal subsequent season and the expanded playoff in 2024 has put the long run in flux for the game’s oldest lively bowl sport.

“If certainly this does develop into the final historically slotted Rose Bowl, it’s an amazing honor to be part of that, and we need to do it proud,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham mentioned.

For such a tradition-rich sporting occasion, this uncertainty is uncommon — however not really unprecedented, as identified by Laura Farber, the chair of the Rose Bowl Administration Committee.

Whereas the Rose Bowl is a nationwide New Yr’s Day establishment, kicked off by the famed Rose Parade and persevering with to the two p.m. kickoff that results in these well-known sunsets, the large sport has been performed on days apart from Jan. 1 — together with this 12 months as a result of New Yr’s Day falls on a Sunday — and featured all types of geographical matchups over the many years, notably in its first half-century of existence when Ivy League squads and Southern powers typically made the journey.

“It’s actually arduous to say what the long run holds, as a result of no person is aware of,” Farber mentioned. “What’s attention-grabbing is studying to stability between custom and innovation, and being versatile and embracing the adjustments, as a result of there’s been hyper-speed adjustments for the previous 12 months in faculty soccer, the previous few years, actually. We’ve needed to be versatile, but remind all people how a lot this sport means to so many individuals.”

BIG FINISH

This Pac-12/Huge Ten matchup has all the pieces essential to exit with a bang.

Each applications are repeat guests to Pasadena, with constant observe data of success beneath two outstanding, revered coaches who by no means have gained the Rose Bowl. The Utes gained the Pac-12 and reached Pasadena for the second straight 12 months in one other excessive level on their spectacular journey to nationwide prominence, whereas the Nittany Lions misplaced solely to playoff-bound Michigan and Ohio State in one other double-digit win marketing campaign.

The Rose Bowl marks the primary assembly between the colleges. Utah is the one Pac-12 faculty the Nittany Lions have by no means confronted.

“I believe there’s a whole lot of similarities between our applications and the way they’re constructed,” Penn State coach James Franklin mentioned. “(Utah is a) fundamentalist program, powerful, sound. We’re taking part in rather well on protection and have been all 12 months lengthy. I believe they’ve been constructed along with his (Whittingham) background on the defensive aspect of the ball as effectively. However I believe their quarterback actually makes them go. I’ve bought a ton of respect for him.”

SECOND SHOT

Utah quarterback Cameron Rising might be ending his faculty profession with another sport in his native Southern California, however the Ventura County product isn’t considering forward to the NFL simply but. He handed for profession highs of two,939 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, capped by a stellar three-TD effort within the Utes’ convention title sport win over USC.

Rising additionally has redemption on his thoughts: He bought injured whereas final season’s Rose Bowl was tied with about 10 minutes to play, and Ohio State rallied for a 48-45 win even after Rising’s backup, Bryson Barnes, led a TD drive.

“We’re completely satisfied to be again, however we have now unfinished enterprise we need to go get accomplished this time,” Rising mentioned. “I bear in mind seeing (Ohio State) have fun and have the ceremony proper after, and seeing that after I walked off the sphere. That’s been engraved in my head ever since, and I need to be on the opposite aspect of it now.”

LAST CHANCE

Quarterback Sean Clifford is a sixth-year senior taking part in in his 51st sport for Penn State. He’s the varsity’s profession chief in yards passing and TDs, however he’s seeking to cap his profession with what is likely to be his greatest victory.

Clifford has only one bowl win on his resume: a 53-39 win over Memphis within the 2019 Cotton Bowl through which he handed for under 133 yards.

“When the lights are shining the brightest, you’ve bought to carry out at your highest degree,” Clifford mentioned. “It’s simply taking all of it in while you first run out, being on the market for a second or two, after which it’s about profitable the sport.”

SITTING OUT

Each groups shall be lacking key gamers who skipped Pasadena to organize for the NFL draft.

Penn State shall be with out cornerback Joey Porter Jr., a second-team All-American and shutdown defender on the perimeter, whereas Utah gained’t have its first-team All-American cornerback, Clark Phillips III. The Utes are also with out tight finish Dalton Kincaid, who had a whopping 70 catches for a team-leading 890 yards and eight TDs, and main rusher Tavion Thomas.