Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Utah Utes Las Vegas Bowl Prediction - 12/31/2025
Updated July 9, 2026
The Las Vegas Bowl on Wednesday will feature the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium. Utah comes in as one of the stronger teams in this year's bowl season with a 10-2 record and a high-powered offense, but they have been forced into a coaching change over the last few days leading up to this contest. Nebraska enters at 7-5 and is dealing with significant roster shifts and injuries. Which team will overcome adversity the best? Here, you will find my Nebraska vs Utah prediction for Wednesday afternoon.
Pick: | Utah -14 |
Confidence: | 2/5 |
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Both of these teams are in interesting spots going into this matchup. Utah saw head coach Kyle Whittingham get hired away by the Michigan Wolverines this past week. Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley will take over as head coach in this matchup and it will be interesting to see how the Utes look in this game after losing their long-time head coach to one of the biggest programs in the history of college football.
Nebraska didn't lose its head coach after the regular season, but they have plenty of roster concerns to deal with going into this bowl game. Starting quarterback Dylan Raiola is injured and in the transfer portal, while the Cornhuskers are missing multiple offensive linemen due to injuries. The players on the field will be going all out in this contest, but they don't have their full group on the field entering the Las Vegas Bowl.
Utah’s quarterback room is led by junior Devon Dampier, who has been effective through the season with over 2,100 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He is expected to play in this game and that should help Utah's offense keep moving the ball in this contest. Nebraska is operating with freshman T.J. Lateef under center after starter Dylan Raiola suffered a season-ending injury and entered the transfer portal. Lateef’s limited experience and production make this a quarterback matchup advantage for the Utes.
Score Projection: Utah 38 – Nebraska 21
Win Probability: Utah 72%, Nebraska 28%
It's hard to feel confident in either of these teams in the Las Vegas Bowl based on all of the coaching and roster issues that they are going through. But if I had to bet this game, I'd lay the points with the Utes out in Vegas. The Utes are better on both sides of the ball and have a huge quarterback advantage, which should help them to win big in the desert.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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