Rose Bowl preview: 5 things to know about Utah vs. Penn State

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The last time Penn State and Utah made appearances in the Rose Bowl, they lost hard-fought heartbreakers that were among the most entertaining contests in the game’s history.

James Franklin’s Nittany Lions fell 52-49 to a USC team led by coach Clay Helton and quarterback Sam Darnold in the 2017 edition. Kyle Whittingham’s Utes could not put away Ohio State last year in a 48-45 comeback win for the Buckeyes.

Both head coaches are looking for their first Rose Bowl victory, and in Utah’s case, it would mark a first Rose Bowl win for the program, too.

Here are five things to watch on Monday when the teams meet in Pasadena at 2 p.m. PST on ESPN:

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1. Is Penn State actually for real?

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

The Nittany Lions boast a strong 10-2 record, but they somehow accomplished it without beating a team currently ranked in the top 25. Their two losses, to College Football Playoff semifinal teams Michigan and Ohio State, were both by double digits.

Certainly, Penn State has a lot to prove for a team privileged enough to be playing in the “Granddaddy of Them All.”

It is much clearer that Utah, the back-to-back Pac-12 champion, belongs on the pristine green turf under that dreamy Pasadena sky. The Utes beat USC twice and knocked off Oregon State in dominating fashion.

There’s a chance the Utes make quick work of Penn State on Monday.

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2. Utah quarterback Cam Rising has a real motive

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

Cam Rising, who played his high school football at Newbury Park, desperately wants to win this game after two straight crushing defeats at the Rose Bowl stadium. Of course, there was the loss to Ohio State in last year’s Rose Bowl, and Rising also couldn’t lead the Utes to a win against UCLA earlier this season, falling 42-32.

Rising is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, and he’d love nothing more than to add a Rose Bowl victory to his resume.

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3. How will the teams replace their stars who opted out?

(Barry Reeger / Associated Press)

Only once out of three years does the Rose Bowl host a CFP semifinal. During the years when it’s just a Pac-12 vs. Big Ten traditional battle of non-semifinal teams, it seems there’s no avoiding some of the top players opting out to protect their health entering the NFL draft.

This year, Penn State quarterback Joey Porter Jr., Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid and Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III are all sitting, which certainly takes some of the fun out of the matchup.

The loss of Porter and Kincaid would appear to be a wash when the Penn State defense and the Utah offense are on the field. Penn State wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley should have an easier time getting some space to get open without Phillips, one of the top playmakers in college football.

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4. Can Penn State’s talented freshmen running backs get loose?

(Barry Reeger / Associated Press)

The best reason to believe in the trajectory of Penn State under Franklin at this point is his youthful backfield duo of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who both have two years of eligibility left after this year.

Singleton rushed for 941 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Allen rushed for 830 yards and nine touchdowns.

For the Nittany Lions to hang in this one, they’ll need both of them to approach the 1,000-yard mark on Monday.

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5. Can Franklin hang with Whittingham?

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

In big games, you can usually count on Franklin making some questionable decisions in game management. Often, he’ll display surprising conservatism that takes the wind out of Penn State’s sails unnecessarily.

In the last two years especially, Whittingham has shown he can meet the moment over and over again. It will be tough for Franklin to match wits here for 60 minutes.