After finishing off the 2022 regular season with a 10-2 record, Penn State is set to take on Utah in the 109th edition of the Rose Bowl.
While both teams came up just short of a College Football Playoff berth, a win in the Rose Bowl would tie a bow on good years for both the Nittany Lions and Utes.
But as usual during bowl season, there are a number of opt outs and player availability updates that have come out and may change the landscape of the game.
Here is the outlook for both Penn State and Utah.
PENN STATE PLAYER AVAILABILITY....
Penn State recently learned that it will be without two key players for the Rose Bowl, one on each side of the ball.
On offense, it is no surprise that wide receiver Parker Washington will remain out with an undisclosed injury. He also announced that he will be heading to the 2023 NFL Draft, forgoing his senior season.
Washington, despite missing the final two games of the year, led the team in receiving yards with 611 and proved to be a security blanket for Sean Clifford over the past couple of seasons.
On defense, No. 1 corner Joey Porter Jr., has also opted out and has put his name in for the NFL Draft.
Porter Jr. has shown traits that suggest he will be a first round pick in 2023 and there is no doubt that his presence will be missed in Pasadena.
Kalen King and veteran Johnny Dixon will attempt to fill the void with Porter Jr. out and they'll be tasked with containing a potent Utah passing game.
Another notable defensive player update is in regards to edge rusher Smith Vilbert who missed all of the regular season for undisclosed reasons.
Franklin announced that Vilbert would be available to play against the Utes on Monday, marking his first game since last year’s Outback Bowl against Arkansas where he recorded three sacks.
The only other concerns for Penn State come on the offensive line which had been banged up towards the end of the season.
The current status of left tackle Olu Fashanu and right tackle Caedan Wallace are still up in the air but having at least one of the two back for this game would help an offensive line which hasn’t been at full strength since the early stages of the season.
UTAH PLAYER AVAILABILITY....
The Utes will also have some losses for the 2023 Rose Bowl with a few different players opting out as they prepare for the NFL Draft.
Utah will be without the services of tight end Dalton Kincaid, running back Tavion Thomas and cornerback Clark Phillips III, who were all key contributors to the Utes success in 2022.
Start with Kincaid, who finishes his Utah career by gaining over 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns, cementing himself as one of the top tight end prospects in the upcoming draft.
Plus, the tight end room will not only be without the talented Kincaid but also No. 2 option Brant Kuithe who suffered a season-ending injury against Arizona State.
Tavion Thomas meanwhile, is a big loss for Utah as well and should put even more pressure on quarterback Cam Rising to lead the Utes offense through the passing game.
On defense, the loss of Phillips III is absolutely massive as he was a consensus All-American this past season as well as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award, given to the nation’s top defensive back.
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