Rose Bowl Game Grades: Penn State vs. Utah

Story posted January 4, 2023 in CommRadio, Sports by Logan Bourandas

For the first time since 1995, Penn State ended its season as Rose Bowl Champions with a 35-21 victory over Utah on Monday.

Penn State ends its season with an 11-2 record and high hopes for the future.

For one last time this season, here’s a look at how each position group performed in Monday’s win in Pasadena.

Offense: A+

In the national spotlight, the Penn State offense was flawless in the win.

Against a Pac-12 Champion in Utah, the Nittany Lions put up 448 total yards and 35 points cruising to a Rose Bowl victory.

In what was his final game as a Nittany Lion, quarterback Sean Clifford put up 279 passing yards and two touchdowns to close a historic career in blue and white.

Those two scores went to Mitchell Tinsley and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, the latter of which caught an 88-yard touchdown which is the longest passing score in Rose Bowl history.

Penn State’s ground game also added a big play as freshman running back Nicholas Singleton broke off an 87-yard touchdown run.

That was a big part of Singleton’s 120 rushing yards and two touchdown day.

Fellow freshman running back Kaytron Allen also added a touchdown score as everyone managed to get involved in the win.

For the eighth time this season, Penn State’s offense put up 35 points or more in a game as the unit shined on one of college football's biggest stages.

Defense: A

After a 14-14 first half, the Rose Bowl appeared as it was going to be a back-and-forth affair which ended up not being the case.

Early in the third quarter, Utah quarterback Cameron Rising went down with an injury and would not re-enter the game.

Rising had struggled prior to the injury though, completing less than half of his passes with one touchdown and an interception to Kalen King.

Following Rising’s injury, Utah’s only scoring drive came on its final drive of the game.

Penn State’s defense finished with six sacks which was tied for its second highest total on the season as well as two turnovers.

One of those takeaways came from Ji’Ayir Brown who picked up a second half interception, his team leading fourth of the season.

The unit did allow 391 total yards to the Utes which was its fifth highest total of the season but that didn’t stop the Nittany Lions from cruising to a win.

Coaching: A+

Following its heartbreaking loss in the 2017 Rose Bowl, Penn State and head coach James Franklin had a lot to prove in its first Rose Bowl appearance since then.

To win its second Rose Bowl in program history, the Nittany Lions defeated the Utes in most major categories.

Penn State committed less penalties, forced more turnovers and had better starting field position.

All this allowed Sean Clifford and other seniors on the roster to receive the ending of their Penn State careers that they deserve, a victory in the Granddaddy of them all.

Logan Bourandas is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.