The No. 15 Utah Utes will face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Utah (10-2) enters the game as a two-touchdown favorite, primarily because of their dominant running game led by running back Wayshawn Parker, who is close to reaching 1,000 yards for the season, and mobile quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin.
Nebraska (7-5) faces an uphill battle, dealing with numerous opt-outs and injuries including starting quarterback Dylan Raiola and star running back Emmett Johnson. The Cornhuskers’ strength lies in their second-ranked pass defense, which will challenge Utah’s less-potent passing game.
Utah’s long-time coach Kyle Whittingham left for Michigan, with defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley taking over as head coach. Nebraska has also undergone staff changes, including a new interim defensive coordinator.
Both teams have significant players missing due to injuries, transfers, and NFL opt-outs. Utah is without star offensive tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, and All-American pass rusher John Henry Daley. Nebraska is missing key players like RB Emmett Johnson and safety DeShon Singleton.
Matchup To Watch: Utah’s top-ranked rushing offense vs. Nebraska’s vulnerable rush defense
Lets dive a bit deeper into each of these schools on both sides of the ball.
Game Details and How to Watch: Nebraska vs. Utah
- Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
- Time: 3:30PM Eastern
- Site: Allegiant Stadium
- City: Las Vegas, NV
- TV/Streaming: ESPN
Game Odds for Nebraska vs. Utah
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Utah Utes (-550), Nebraska Cornhuskers (+410)
- Spread: Utah -14 (-115)
- Total: 51.5 points
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the college football schedule!
Utah Utes
Head Coach: Morgan Scalley
2025 Record: 10-2
Offense Ranking: 11
Defense Ranking: 18
Strength of Schedule: 56
Utah put together a 10–2 (7–2) season that firmly re-established the program among the national elite, finishing 10th in SP+ with 9.2 second-order wins, a profile that closely matched the final record. Departed HC Kyle Whittingham’s team was balanced and ruthless, pairing an 11th-ranked offense with an 18th-ranked defense to consistently overwhelm lesser opponents. The Utes dominated the efficiency battle, ranking 7th in EPA per play and 7th in points per drive, while rarely giving games away with mistakes. Their two losses came against high-end competition, but Utah responded by stacking quality wins and surging into the Top 20 down the stretch. Overall, this was a classic Utes team—physical, efficient, and unspectacular in the best possible way, built to win every week and punish any opponent that slipped.
The Utah Utes Offense
Utah’s offense was a catalyst for its 2025 success, finishing 11th in Offensive SP+ and consistently dictating games with efficiency and physicality. The Utes were elite on early downs, ranking 12th in success rate and 5th in down-set conversion rate, allowing them to stay ahead of the chains and control tempo. The run game was a true calling card, checking in 5th in rushing success rate and 1st in EPA per rush, with explosive efficiency behind a dominant offensive line that ranked 3rd in pressure rate allowed. Utah was devastating in scoring territory, finishing 3rd in red-zone touchdown rate and 3rd in goal-to-go touchdown rate, turning sustained drives into points at an elite clip. Overall, this was a Top 10 caliber offense built on balance, trench dominance, and situational execution.
The Utah Utes Defense
Utah’s defense finished 18th in Defensive SP+, providing a sturdy, complementary counterpart to the offense and rarely allowing opponents to find easy yards. The Utes excelled against the pass, ranking 9th in passing success rate allowed and 7th in EPA per dropback, consistently forcing inefficient throws. Pressure was a defining feature, with Utah checking in 6th in pressure rate and 22nd in sacks per dropback, allowing the secondary to play aggressively behind it. While the run defense was more uneven, finishing 80th in rushing success rate allowed, Utah compensated by winning on passing downs and limiting explosive plays. In total, this was a disciplined, pressure-driven defense that bent at times but consistently gave the Utes a decisive edge in high-leverage moments.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
2025 Record: 7-5
Offense Ranking: 60
Defense Ranking: 40
Strength of Schedule: 56
Nebraska finished the regular season at 7–5 (4–5), landing 46th in SP+ with a profile that closely matched expectations, as reflected by 6.7 second-order wins. The Cornhuskers showed clear offensive progress under Matt Rhule and Dana Holgorsen, ranking 19th in success rate and 20th in passing success rate, while consistently moving the chains despite a lack of explosiveness. Defensively, Nebraska was steady but unspectacular, checking in 40th in Defensive SP+ and holding opponents to moderate efficiency, though red-zone defense and finishing drives remained persistent issues. The season was defined by inconsistency against top competition, with narrow losses to Michigan and USC offset by missed opportunities in lopsided defeats to Penn State and Iowa. Overall, Nebraska looked like a competent, bowl-caliber Big Ten team still searching for a higher ceiling, with tangible improvement but clear gaps separating them from the conference’s upper tier.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers Offense
Nebraska’s offense was built on efficiency and ball control rather than explosiveness, finishing 19th nationally in success rate (47.6%) while ranking 22nd on standard downs and consistently staying on schedule. The run game was functional but unspectacular, posting a 49.0% rushing success rate with limited push at the point of attack, as reflected by middling yards after contact and a reliance on staying ahead of the chains. Through the air, the Cornhuskers were steady and accurate, ranking 20th in passing success rate with a 70.0% completion rate, but generating chunk plays at a below-average rate. Nebraska protected the football well, turning the ball over just 10 times and finishing +3.0 in turnover margin, which helped compensate for red-zone inefficiency and a 105th-ranked red-zone touchdown rate. Overall, the offense looked like a competent, methodical unit that could move the ball consistently, but its lack of finishing punch ultimately capped its scoring ceiling.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers Defense
Nebraska’s defense was a respectable but uneven unit, finishing 62nd nationally in success rate allowed (41.1%) while generally forcing offenses to earn yards rather than giving up consistent efficiency. The run defense was a clear soft spot, ranking 107th in rushing success rate allowed and struggling to prevent steady gains at the line of scrimmage. Against the pass, the Cornhuskers were more competitive, holding opponents to the 32nd-ranked passing success rate and limiting explosive completions better than their run metrics would suggest. Nebraska generated pressure at a respectable clip, but a 67th-ranked sack rate per dropback meant too many quarterbacks were able to escape or get the ball out on schedule. Overall, the defense profiled as average-to-below-average, capable of holding up in spurts but too leaky against the run and inconsistent on third downs to consistently tilt games in its favor.
Nebraska and Utah: Team Stats and Betting Trends
- Nebraska is 4-7-1 ATS this season
- Utah is 8-4 ATS this season
- The OVER has cashed in 9 of Nebraska’s 12 games this season (9-3)
- The OVER has cashed in 8 of Utah’s 12 games this season (8-4)
Rotoworld Best Bets
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Eric Froton (@CFFroton): WR Dane Key UNDER 3.5 Receptions
Since QB Dylan Raiola got hurt in Week 10 vs. USC, the Cornhuskers’ passing attack has taken a major hit with freshman signal caller TJ Lateef leading the offense. The WR production has followed suit as the pass volume cratered, with WR Dane Key managing to clear his 3.5 Receptions line just three times all season. I’m following the trend and taking Key’s Under 3.5 Receptions against Utah’s elite pass defense that ranks 9th in pass success rate allowed and 7th in EPA/dropback.
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Best Bets our model are projecting for the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl between Nebraska and Utah
- Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play ATS on the Utah Utes -14.
- Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 51.5.
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