No. 11 Penn State to Face No. 8 Utah in Rose Bowl Game

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. – No. 11 Penn State football will return to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 2016 season when the Nittany Lions take on Pac-12 foe No. 8 Utah in the Rose Bowl Game on Monday, Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. (ET). The game will air on ESPN.

This will be the first matchup between the Nittany Lions and the Utes. Penn State is 25-14 all-time against current Pac-12 schools, having played every Pac-12 team except Utah. The most recent meeting against a Pac-12 foe was Washington in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl, a 35-28 victory for the Nittany Lions.

“We are thrilled our storied Penn State football program will participate the 109th Rose Bowl,” said Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. “I am so proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for the hard work they have put in this season to earn the reward of a trip to The Granddaddy of Them All. The Rose Bowl has such a rich history, and I can’t think of a better way to cap a terrific season and send our seniors off with a special memory. I know Nittany Nation will be excited to head to Pasadena to start the New Year.”

“I want to thank the Rose Bowl Committee for the invitation to one of college football’s most prestigious and historic bowl games,” said Penn State head coach James Franklin. “Playing in the Rose Bowl is truly a special way to close out this season with a team, staff and fan base that has stuck together and trusted the process all year. I look forward to ringing in the New Year in Pasadena with our passionate fans filling the Rose Bowl stadium January 2.”

This is Penn State’s fifth trip to the Rose Bowl and first since its 2016 season meeting against USC. Penn State is 1-3 all-time in the Rose Bowl. The Nittany Lions made their first-ever bowl appearance in the Rose Bowl against USC in 1923, a 14-3 loss. Penn State did not return to the Rose Bowl again until 1995 when Ki-Jana Carter led the Nittany Lions to a 38-20 win over Oregon.

On defense, Penn State leads the Big Ten with 95 tackles for loss with 26 different Nittany Lions having made at least one full tackle for loss, the most in the FBS. Penn State has recorded at least seven tackles for loss in each of its last seven games (Michigan, 7; Minnesota, 7, Ohio State, 7; Indiana, 16; Maryland, 9; Rutgers, 15; Michigan State, 7). In addition, the Nittany Lions have limited nine opponents to less than 100 rushing yards this season (Purdue, 61; Ohio, 99; Central Michigan, 88; Northwestern, 31; Ohio State, 98; Indiana, 65; Maryland, 60; Rutgers, 32; Michigan State, 25).

The Nittany Lions had 10 All-Big Ten selections on defense, which included LB Abdul Carter (second team), DT PJ Mustipher (second team), S Ji’Ayir Brown (third team), DE Adisa Isaac (third team) and CB Kalen King (third team).

Offensively, Penn State has featured a balanced attack with 20 different pass catchers and a rushing attack which has reached 200 rushing yards in five games this season (Ohio, 234; Auburn, 245; Northwestern, 220; Maryland, 249; Rutgers, 237). In addition, the Nittany Lions have not allowed a sack in four games this year (Auburn, Northwestern, Minnesota, Maryland). The four games without allowing a sack are the most for Penn State since 2011 (five games).

Freshman running back Nicholas Singleton was the Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He was also a third-team All-Big Ten running back selection and second-team All-Big Ten kick returner, joining OL Olumuyiwa Fashanu (second team), OL Juice Scruggs (third team) and TE Brenton Strange (third team) with postseason conference honors.