When Utah and Nebraska take the field at Allegiant Stadium for the Las Vegas Bowl on December 31, it’ll be more than just the final game of the season-it’ll mark the end of an era.
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, a fixture in Salt Lake City for over two decades, is stepping down after 21 seasons leading the Utes. His impact on the program is hard to overstate.
Since taking over in 2005, Whittingham has compiled a 177-88 record and helped shepherd Utah from the Mountain West into the Power Five conversation. But his connection to the program goes even deeper-he’s been on staff since 1994, meaning he’s been part of Utah football for over 30 years.
Now, at 66, he says the time is right to move on, though he’s not calling it a full retirement from coaching.
“The opportunity to guide so many talented young men as they pursued their goals-both on and off the field-has truly been a blessing,” Whittingham said.
Taking over the reins after the bowl game is defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, a Utah lifer in his own right. Scalley has been with the program since 2007 and now gets the chance to lead the Utes into their next chapter.
Utah comes into the Las Vegas Bowl riding a wave of momentum. At 10-2 and ranked 15th in the final College Football Playoff standings, the Utes have rattled off five straight wins and are playing some of their best football of the season.
Junior quarterback Devon Dampier has been at the center of that surge, putting together a season that includes 2,867 yards of total offense and 29 total touchdowns. He’s dynamic, efficient, and has a knack for making the right play when it matters.
He’s not alone in the backfield, either. Freshman Byrd Ficklin has emerged as a red zone weapon, punching in 10 rushing touchdowns and tossing three more through the air. Utah’s offense may not be flashy, but it’s balanced, physical, and tough to stop when it gets rolling.
But this won’t be a full-strength Utah squad. Several key players have declared for the NFL Draft and are sitting out the bowl game, including standout offensive tackles Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano, as well as edge rusher Logan Fano. Those are significant losses, particularly up front, where Utah has long prided itself on dominating the line of scrimmage.
Nebraska, meanwhile, arrives in Vegas with a very different energy. After a promising 6-2 start, the Cornhuskers stumbled down the stretch, dropping three of their final four games to finish 7-5.
Still, head coach Matt Rhule sees progress. This marks Nebraska’s second consecutive bowl appearance-their first back-to-back trips since a nine-year run from 2008 to 2016-and for a program that went bowl-less from 2017 to 2023, that’s a meaningful step.
“The program was dead for 10 years,” Rhule said. “We are moving forward, it's just not as fast as Indiana did it.”
Rhule has already made some significant changes since the regular season ended, most notably bringing in Rob Aurich from San Diego State to take over as defensive coordinator. It's not a full reset, but it's clear Nebraska is trying to build something sustainable.
One of the biggest storylines for the Huskers heading into this bowl? Freshman quarterback TJ Lateef.
With Dylan Raiola sidelined for the season, Lateef has stepped into the starting role and will be making just his fourth career start. So far, he’s shown flashes-722 passing yards, four touchdowns, plus three more on the ground-but this will be his biggest test yet.
And he’ll be doing it without the Big Ten’s leading rusher. Junior running back Emmett Johnson, who racked up 1,451 yards this season, has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft and won’t play in the bowl.
That leaves Nebraska thin in the backfield. No other player on the roster has more than 119 rushing yards this season, and Lateef himself leads all active players with 27 carries (including sacks).
For Nebraska, it’s a chance to end the season on a high note and build momentum heading into 2026. For Utah, it’s a chance to send off a legendary coach with a win-and snap a frustrating five-game bowl losing streak in the process. The Utes haven’t won a bowl game since the 2017 Heart of Dallas Bowl, while Nebraska hasn’t won back-to-back games in bowl season since 2009.
Two programs with very different recent histories. Two teams with young quarterbacks and key absences. And one game that marks both an ending and a beginning.
This isn’t just another bowl game. It’s a passing of the torch, a measuring stick, and for both teams, a shot at rewriting the narrative heading into the offseason.