It turns out that Nebraska football won't have to suffer through a return visit to the Pinstripe Bowl after a 7-5 finish to the regular season. Some bowl projections had the Huskers returning to the game at Yankee Stadium after beating Boston College in that game last winter.
Among the other candidates for NU's possible bowl destination was Nashville, Tennessee, for the Music City Bowl and Las Vegas for the aptly named Las Vegas Bowl. It was the Music City Bowl that most fans were holding out hope for, believing Illinois would get the invite to Sin City.
However, on Saturday afternoon, On3 announced several bowl pairings, and it turns out Nebraska will face off against the Utah Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl.
On3's @Brett_McMurphy confirms Nebraska vs. Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. https://t.co/Fok6st9ong
— Robin Washut (@RobinWashut) December 6, 2025
Nebraska football will take on Utah in Las Vegas Bowl
The matchup is an interesting one, especially considering that Utah was on the doorstep of making the College Football Playoff for most of the season. The Big 12 team is currently ranked No. 15 in the country.
If that wasn't bad enough news, there's the fact that Utah relies heavily on a power running game and a top-notch dual-threat quarterback in Devon Dampier.
For the 10-2 Utes, Dampier threw for just under 2,200 yards with 22 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. He also ran for 687 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Utah also boasts a very solid defense, finishing No. 17 in total yards allowed per game. The Utes were 3rd in the Big 12 behind only BYU and Texas Tech, two teams currently facing off in the Big 12 Title Game for a trip to the CFP.
Nebraska will face Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl at 2:30 p.m. on December 31