Rose Bowl: Utah vs Penn State Prediction

What: Utah vs Penn State, 2023 Rose Bowl
When: Monday, January 2nd
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, kick-off 5 PM ET on ESPN

The CFP Semifinals did not disappoint, but that's not the only bowl games that are worth keeping an eye on. The 2023 Rose Bowl offers massive Online college football betting value as two very similar teams face off in Pasadena on Monday afternoon when Utah and Penn State meet as part of the New Year's Six. The Utes just won their second Pac-12 championship in a row after taking down USC, who was considered a legitimate contender for the CFP Playoff. This is Utah's second Rose Bowl in a row, losing a 48-45 thriller to Ohio State last year. As for the Nittany Lions, they're coming off a solid 10-2 season, with their only losses coming against the Buckeyes and Michigan, two very good programs. Find the Utah vs Penn State prediction below.

Before we get into the odds and analysis as to who could win here, make sure to check out our reviews of the top online sportsbooks.

Utah vs Penn State Odds

	Spread	Moneyline	Total
Utah	-1 (-112)	TBD	Ov 52.5 (-115)
Penn State	'+1 (-108)	TBD	Un 52.5 (-105)

Utah is favored by a very slim one point here over Penn State. The total comes in at 52.5 points.

Rose Bowl Betting Preview

Utah had another great season in an extremely tough conference. Kyle Whittingham's group finished with a 10-3 record, losing to Oregon, UCLA, and Florida in Week 1. But, they ultimately redeemed themselves after winning another Pac-12 title. The Utes offense is what really stands out, ranking 28th in total yards, 22nd in rushing yards, and seventh in the country in points with 40 per game. Quarterback Cameron Rising had a great campaign, completing 66.2% of his passes for 2,939 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just seven picks. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing for 409 yards and six scores. Rising can do it all and will be a weapon on Monday. He's also got numerous reliable targets out wide, including Devaughn Vele, Micah Bernard, and Jaylen Dixon. Star tight end Dalton Kincaid, who led the team with 70 catches, declared for the NFL Draft last month and won't play in the Rose Bowl. Defensively, Utah is reliable against the run and that happens to be one of Penn State's primary sources of offense. The Utes only allowed 107 yards per game on the ground in 2022.

The Nittany Lions are a very talented team and possess tons of superstar power. While their best year could be next season, this is still a chance to win some hardware. Plus, this is fifth-year QB Sean Clifford's final game for the program and he'll certainly want to finish on a high note. Clifford threw for 2,543 yards, 22 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 2022, propelling his team to a four-game winning run to close out the campaign. Penn State has a wonderful attack that scored 35.8 points per contest (19th in the nation), but Clifford will be without top target Parker Washington on Monday due to injury. While he's got other options downfield, this group likes to rely on their powerful RB room. Kaytron Allen rushed for an average of 5.3 yards per carry on 156 attempts for nine touchdowns during the regular season. Nicholas Singleton also ran for an average of 6.3 yards per carry and 10 scores. The Nittany Lions have two stars in their backfield who will be looking to break through a respectable Utes run defense. On the defensive side of the ball, Penn State has been on a heater, allowing only 40 points in total across the last four outings. That's certainly a good sign.

Utah vs Penn State Prediction

I expect this to be a close contest and clearly, the sportsbooks do, too. But, in my mind, Utah comes out on top. They won't forget the heartbreak of losing in this exact game last January and have that motivation to redeem themselves. Take the Utes.

Utah Utes To cover in Rose Bowl

-1 (-112)

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