CFB Bowl Preview 2025: SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
By Rory Daniels
Bowl season is in full swing and we will be previewing some of the bigger matchups over the next couple of weeks. This year’s Las Vegas Bowl will be contested between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Utah Utes. Rory-Joe Daniels takes a look at the key matchups.
Where and When
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada
Date: Wednesday, December 31
Time: 3.30pm EST / 8.30pm GMT
Story So Far...
A 10-2 season is not to be sniffed at for Utah. The big problem was that the two losses came in conference play and against the two teams above them in the standings. They were never going to leapfrog Texas Tech and BYU after losing to both. They finished the year strong with five wins, four of which their offense scored over 40 points in. Strangely, Head Coach Kyle Whittingham thought it was best he stood down after the season, not to retire as some had presumed, with him later landing the Michigan job, all very strange really. He leaves the program in good condition to his defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley.
Things were also on the up for Nebraska. They repeated their 7-5 regular season record from last year, but thought they were building something with Dylan Raiola at QB. Injury ended his season in week 10, and the Cornhuskers lost two of the last three games without him. The surprise came when he decided to enter the transfer portal, leaving Rhule needing to rebuild not only at QB, but also running back, where star playmaker Emmett Johnson has departed for the NFL. A decent season that ended with more questions than answers.
The Quarterbacks
Devon Dampier made the step up to the Power 4 from New Mexico and had an immediate impact for the Utes. He threw for 2,180 yards, 22 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He was also a threat when scrambling, adding another seven touchdowns on the ground. Despite Whittingham’s departure, the hope is that Dampier will stay and add experience to the Utes’ offense moving forward. While he is undersized for an NFL QB, he offers plenty of value at this level.
Nebraska will now turn to freshman quarterback TJ Lateef. It was a struggle for the young QB when he stepped in for Raiola after the injury. Despite a three-touchdown showing vs UCLA in his first start of 2025, he failed to throw a touchdown in either of the two last games against Penn State or Iowa. Lateef was a 4-star recruit, so hopes are high, and he is a dual-threat, which could mean the Cornhuskers trust him more on the ground than through the air.
Who to Watch
Utah
Wayshawn Parker, Running Back
Wayshawn Parker led the Utes in rushing yards during 2025, with 931 and 6 touchdowns. He averages 7 yards per carry and should feature heavily in this one. After a steady start to the campaign, Parker exploded with four back-to-back 100+ yard games, only coming up 5 yards short in the last season outing vs Kansas. Now he has hit his stride. Can Nebraska stop him?
Nebraska
Ceyair Wright, Cornerback
For Nebraska, experienced cornerback Ceyair Wright will be an important factor against the inexperienced TJ Lateef. The former 5-star transferred from USC and is now in his fifth season. He led the Cornhuskers with five pass deflections and played predominantly in the slot, which allowed him to showcase his tackling ability.
Prediction
Utah is a heavy favourite in this one, and despite Kyle Whittingham stepping away, they still have the more experienced QB. Dampier should outplay Lateef, and the Utes’ defense doesn’t have to deal with Nebraska’s star running back Emmett Johnson, who opts out in this one.
Utah 27-16 Nebraska
Rory-Joe Daniels
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.