Utah Utes Football Drops To Northwestern In Las Vegas Bowl
Dec 23, 2023, 8:41 PM
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 23: Linebacker Bryce Gallagher #32 of the Northwestern Wildcats before a snap during the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium on December 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/Getty Images)
(Photo by Zak Krill/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS – The Utah Utes football team struggled to put points up as they lost to the Northwestern Wildcats in the 2023 Las Vegas Bowl.
Utah wasn’t able to get on the board until early in the fourth quarter.
A great defensive performance kept the Utes in striking distance but they ultimately came up short, losing 14-7.
Pregame
Good afternoon and #GoUtes from Las Vegas 🏈🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/zp0ED5k7xL
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 23, 2023
Gameday ➤ ➤ ➤ Gameface@Utah_Football | #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/k5G78nUO7b
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) December 23, 2023
One last ride. pic.twitter.com/9WQ9B5B1Yb
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 23, 2023
First Half
First Quarter
Utah won the toss and will defer to the second half.
Defense will be up first.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Northwestern, welcome to #SackLakeCity in Sin City.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Back to back sacks from @VaughnZemaiah & @johnathanBhall on our opening defensive stand!! 🙌#GoUtes
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 24, 2023
Northwestern returns the sack favor on the first Utah offensive play.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Buckle up buttercups. All defense and no offense early in this one.#UTAHvsNW
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Zemaiah Vaughn taking no prisoners on the pass play.
Sheeesh.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Northwestern attempts the field goal, but it’s no good. Looks like someone maybe got a hand on it.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Offense starting off with a Ja’Quinden Jackson carry this go around. Good call.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
…and yet, another three and out. At least the punt was better.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
For perspective’s sake.
Utah is sitting at -21 yards of offense right now and Northwestern has exactly 1 yard of offense.
It’s THAT kind of game.#UTAHvsNW
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Northwestern punts away again, but pins Utah on their own two-yard line. This could be interesting with how things have gone so far…#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Ja’Quinden Jackson gives Bryson Barnes and the #Utes lots of room to breathe now at the Utah 27.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Micah Bernard helps move the chains again.
Utah should run and run only.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Interception.
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Second straight game with an INT for @LockemupJah_7 🔒 pic.twitter.com/mf5ou1N5zJ
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) December 24, 2023
END OF Q1
We are scoreless here in Las Vegas after one quarter of play that has been dominated by defense.#LasVegasBowl #UTAHvsNW pic.twitter.com/jbBVCrtKSa
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 24, 2023
Second Quarter
Defense stands strong! 😤
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 24, 2023
Interception again.
This game has been a comedy of errors.
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Jaheem Joseph has ✌️ INTs, and counting.
It’s early in the second quarter. pic.twitter.com/QDsvBCVHjV
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 24, 2023
Ja’Quinden Jackson is on the ground and hasn’t moved. He’s being attended to at the moment.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
JJ is up and walking to the sideline now on his own. Good news. Obviously, he’ll be getting further evaluations in the tent.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Utah gets a first down with a facemask penalty. By any means necessary.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Luck be an endzone, tonight.#UTAHvsNW #LasVegasBowl pic.twitter.com/3ozlRGOjCm
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Let’s trade facemasks,
Northwestern, probably.
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
We have points. This is not a drills. Points have been had.
Northwestern strikes first.#LasVegasBowl
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
BRYANT ➡️ JOHNSON. 6️⃣🙌 pic.twitter.com/8DWR2FinvF
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) December 24, 2023
Northwestern strikes first with a 1:20 left in the first half.
UTAH 0 | NORTHWESTERN 7#LasVegasBowl
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 24, 2023
Northwestern misses a field goal to end the half.
What a long, strange trip this game has been.#LasVegasBowl
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
At the Half.
🏈: @Utah_Football vs. @NUFBFamily
📌: Las Vegas
🏟️: Allegiant Stadium
📺: ABC
📻: @ESPNLasVegas 100.9AM/1100AM
📈: https://t.co/QAAoaatTeS#LVBowl | #Vegas | #BowlSeason | #GoUtes | #GoCats pic.twitter.com/1cSGIVpbEH— SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (@LasVegasBowl) December 24, 2023
Second Half
Third Quarter
Second half shaping up to be as weird and the first. Kickoff is out of bounds…#LasVegasBowl
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Utah still struggling to move the ball well in the second half.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Tao Johnson close to the interception. Northwestern to punt.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Fumble…this game is just brutal.
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Welcome back, Micah Bernard.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
We have another first down!#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
No more first downs. Utah to punt it away.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Defense does their job again. Offense should have decent field position.
Let’s see what happens.#Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Time for another Bottari Party for a play.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Bottari Party for more than one play.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
END OF THE 3RD
No change to the score since half.#UTAH 0 | #NORTHWESTERN 7#LasVegasBowl #UTAHvsNW
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 24, 2023
Fourth Quarter
Luke Bottari still out. Completes a pass. #GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Micah Bernard takes the hand-off and ties the game. That feels strangely appropriate after the unfortunate year he had.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
.@ctb_mb punches it in‼️
📺: @ESPNCFB #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/sWiycLc3iD
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 24, 2023
RELATED: Micah Bernard Runs In Fourth-Quarter Equalizing Touchdown
Still in it ‼️ pic.twitter.com/GhJ852ijEs
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 24, 2023
Northwestern quarterback Ben Bryant is being attended to.#LasVegasBowl
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Northwestern opts to go for it on 4th and 7 and doesn’t get it.#Goutes #LasVegasBowl
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Utah looking at a 4th and 2. #Utes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
Northwestern comes up with the stop.#UTAHvsNW #LasVegasBowl
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) December 24, 2023
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) December 24, 2023
Northwestern takes the lead again.#UTAH 7 | #NORTHWESTERN 14
6:19 Q4#LasVegasBowl
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 24, 2023
Final from Allegiant Stadium: Utah 7 – Northwestern 14
Thank you to all the fans that supported us throughout the season, until the very end.
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 24, 2023
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Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for sports.ksl.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.
