FB Preview: Las Vegas Bowl

NEBRASKA vs. #15 UTAH
Dec. 31, 2025 | ALLEGIANT STADIUM
LAS VEGAS, NEV. | 2:30 PM CT

HUSKERS
Record: 7-5, 4-5 B1G
Last Game: vs. Iowa (L, 40-16)
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Career/NEB Record: 66-61 (10th Year)/19-18 (3rd Year)
Record vs. Utah: First Meeting

UTES
Record: 10-2, 7-12 Big 12
Last Game: at Kansas (W, 31-21)
Rankings: AP-15/Coaches-15/CFP-15
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham
Career/Utah Record: 177-88 (21st Year)/Same
Record vs. Nebraska: First Meeting

SERIES HISTORY
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 4-0
Last Meeting: Nebraska, 49-22 in 1992

BROADCAST INFO
TV - ESPN (Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, Dawn Davenport)
RADIO NETWORK - Kyle Crooks, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody
INTERNET AUDIO - Huskers.com
APP AUDIO - Official Huskers App

The Matchup
Nebraska makes its second consecutive bowl appearance in 2025 in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, where the Huskers will meet the Utah Utes on New Year's Eve Day. The game from Allegiant Stadium will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT (12:30 p.m. PT), with the matchup televised by ESPN. The game can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network, the official Huskers App and Huskers.com. 

Nebraska stands at 7-5 heading into the Las Vegas Bowl, after finishing Big Ten play with a 4-5 record. The Huskers increased their win total for the third consecutive regular season under Coach Matt Rhule and posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2014. Nebraska's Vegas Bowl trip also marks the first back-to-back bowl appearances since a nine-year streak from 2008 to 2016. 

Nebraska has had numerous highlights throughout the 2025 season. Offensively, Nebraska posted back-to-back 50-point games for the first time in 18 years, set a season record for team completion percentage and celebrated its first offensive All-American since 2011. On defense, Nebraska has ranked among the  nation's top pass defense units all season, and posted its first shutout in 16 years. The Huskers also fielded one of the nation's most-improved special teams units, led by explosive return teams.

Utah comes into the Vegas Bowl with a 10-2 record and are No. 15 in the CFP, AP and Coaches polls. The Utes posted a 7-2 record in Big 12 play, losing only to conference title game participants Texas Tech and BYU. Utah owns a powerful rushing attack, averaging 269.8 yards per game to rank second nationally, while also ranking sixth in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Kyle Whittingham is in his 21st season leading the program and will complete his Ute coaching career in the Vegas Bowl.