2018 Holiday Bowl

The 2018 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 31, 2018.^[6] It was the 41st edition of the Holiday Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. This was the second season in which the Holiday Bowl was held at SDCCU Stadium. Sponsored by San Diego County Credit Union, the game was officially known as the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl.

2018 San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
41st Holiday Bowl
Northwestern Wildcats Utah Utes (8–5) (9–4) Big Ten Pac-12 31 20 Head coach:  Pat Fitzgerald Head coach:  Kyle Whittingham Coaches CFP 22 22 AP Coaches CFP 20 19 17
1 2 3 4 Total Northwestern 0 3 28 0 31 Utah 14 6 0 0 20
Date	December 31, 2018
Season	2018
Stadium	SDCCU Stadium
Location	San Diego, California
MVP	Clayton Thorson (QB, Northwestern)[1] & JR Pace (S, Northwestern)[2]
Favorite	Utah by 7[3]
National anthem	Haley Reinhart
Referee	Brandon Cruse (Big XII)
Attendance	47,007[4]
Payout	US$6,326,000 [5]
United States TV coverage
Network	FS1
Announcers	Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft
Holiday Bowl  < 2017  2019 >

Teams

The game featured the Northwestern Wildcats, champions of the Big Ten West Division, and the Utah Utes, champions of the Pac-12 South Division.^[7] The programs had previously met twice, with Northwestern winning in 1927 and Utah winning in 1981.^[8]

Northwestern Wildcats

Main article: 2018 Northwestern Wildcats football team

Northwestern was defeated in the 2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game on December 1 by Ohio State, then received and accepted a bid to the Holiday Bowl on December 2.^[7] The Wildcats entered the bowl with an 8–5 record (8–1 in conference).

Utah Utes

Main article: 2018 Utah Utes football team

Utah was defeated in the 2018 Pac-12 Football Championship Game on November 30 by Washington, then received and accepted a bid to the Holiday Bowl on December 2.^[7] The Utes entered the bowl with a 9–4 record (6–3 in conference).

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP NU UTAH 1 5:48 6 62 1:54 UTAH Jaylen Dixon 27-yard touchdown reception from Jason Shelley, Matt Gay kick good 0 7 1 1:40 5 35 1:39 UTAH Jake Jackson 4-yard touchdown reception from Jason Shelley, Matt Gay kick good 0 14 2 8:42 8 62 3:02 NU 21-yard field goal by Charlie Kuhbander 3 14 2 3:57 11 57 4:39 UTAH 32-yard field goal by Matt Gay 3 17 2 0:05 10 33 2:24 UTAH 20-yard field goal by Matt Gay 3 20 3 13:13 2 56 0:36 NU Riley Lees 4-yard touchdown reception from Clayton Thorson, Charlie Kuhbander kick good 10 20 3 6:40 NU Fumble recovery returned 82 yards for touchdown by Jared McGee, Charlie Kuhbander kick good 17 20 3 4:39 2 31 0:31 NU Trey Klock 4-yard touchdown reception from Clayton Thorson, Charlie Kuhbander kick good 24 20 3 1:40 6 67 2:34 NU Riley Lees 8-yard touchdown run, Charlie Kuhbander kick good 31 20 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 31 20

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 22 Wildcats	0	3	28	0	31
No. 17 Utes	14	6	0	0	20

Statistics	NU	UTAH
First downs	17	19
Plays–yards	70–322	77–393
Rushes–yards	40–81	32–91
Passing yards	241	302
Passing: comp–att–int	21–30–1	27–45–2
Time of possession	31:51	28:09

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Northwestern	Passing	Clayton Thorson	21/30, 241 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Isaiah Bowser	23 car, 70 yds
	Receiving	Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman	2 rec, 64 yds
Utah	Passing	Jason Shelley	27/45, 302 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Jason Shelley	12 car, 39 yds
	Receiving	Jaylen Dixon	9 rec, 114 yds, 1 TD