Nebraska vs Utah Prediction: What to Know for the 2025 Las Vegas Bowl

It’s an interesting time for both Nebraska and Utah as they try to use the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl to build for next season. Here’s the CFN prediction with what to know.

It was a good season for Utah and Nebraska in different ways, but the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl narratives for both teams have been hijacked.

But start with this – the Las Vegas Bowl has recently been great. Last season was a 35-31 USC win over Texas A&M, and three of the last four were decided by one score.

Nebraska vs Utah Matchup, Odds, and Pick

Sep 6, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley watches the team warm up before a game against the Cal Poly Mustangs at Rice-Eccles Stadium. © Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Nebraska’s days of the Big Red Machine are well in the past, but as the program tries to keep pushing forward, this is a shot for the first season with more than seven wins since 2016.

But the transfers and high-profile opt-out – following a season-ending injury – by star quarterback Dylan Raiola, and the absence of heart-and-soul running back Emmett Johnson, matter.

That, along with the idea that winning eight games at Nebraska is a positive, is contributing to the impatience of a die-hard fan base ready for way more than also-ran status.

Meanwhile, not only did Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham leave after the regular season, but he’s now the main man at Michigan.

But it was a ten-win season, Utah was the third-best team in the Big 12, and now it really is the Morgan Scalley era about to get going.

How To Watch Nebraska vs Utah

Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Game Time: 3:30 pm ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
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Why Nebraska Will Win

Oct 11, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule walks on the field during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium.© Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Of course there’s always something to lose, but no one is thinking Nebraska is going to win this. So yeah, this team really can have the “nobody believes in us” chip on its shoulder, because it’s true.

No, Emmett Johnson won’t be around, and there’s no Raiola, but for the most part, the Huskers are relatively close to the version at the end of the regular season.

And the offense is going to run.

No, quarterback TJ Lateef isn’t Raiola, but he can take off a little bit more, and he will.

This isn’t the normal Utah team of past years defensively. It gives up close to five yards per carry, and it only shut down the truly mediocre. Again, this isn’t the Nebraska of old running the ball, but it can do it. If it gets to well over 150 yards on the ground, it’ll be in this.

On the other side, the Husker pass defense has been terrific all year.

Maryland is the only team to get 200 yards through the air. The Nebraska secondary should be fine, and yes, it is possible to slow down this Utah ground game by getting to quarterback Devon Dampier before he can get moving.

Future NFL tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu are out – the Huskers have to keep fighting the good fight up front.

Nebraska is 6-0 when allowing fewer than 185 rushing yards, but …

Why Utah Will Win

Oct 11, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) scores a touchdown against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the third quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. © Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah won’t do anything crazy.

It’ll run more than 40 times, it’ll get Dampier on the move, and it’ll get its 200 yards. As long as Dampier isn’t forcing anything and doesn’t have any interception issues – he threw five on the season, three in the two losses – everything else should work.

Almost no one will bring more energy and fight this bowl season than Nebraska. It’s never a question of want-to, but it simply doesn’t have the guys.

The backfield will be fine, but it’s asking a whole lot of Lateef to take over as a passer to open things up. And yes, the Huskers have a few backs ready to show what they can do, but Johnson was special this season.

The Huskers weren’t even close in their last two games of the season. Penn State and Iowa allowed Nebraska to run a bit, closed down almost everything through the air, and most importantly, both hammered away up front.

Nebraska allowed more than 200 rushing yards in three of the last four games, Utah won’t take any major chances, and …

Nebraska vs Utah Prediction, Betting Lines

It’ll take a little while, but eventually Utah will break through.

Nebraska will come up with a few early scoring drives, and it’ll look like Utah won’t have the same power and consistency, and then it’ll start to kick in.

The Utes will start to control the clock a little more, the defensive front will start to get into the backfield on third downs, and the momentum will turn before halftime.

Nebraska was hanging with Iowa down 17-16 late in the first half with under a minute to play. The Huskers lost 40-16.

It was 10-3 Penn State deep into the first half. It was 30-3 before Nebraska got back on the board in a 37-10 Nittany Lion win.

Give it 20 minutes, and then Utah will get the Morgan Scalley era off and rolling.

Utah 38, Nebraska 17
Line: Utah -14, o/u: 51.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 3.5
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This story was originally published by College Football News on Dec 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Source: Utah News