2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl

The 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 26, 2023, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The 34th annual Guaranteed Rate Bowl featured Kansas of the Big 12 Conference and UNLV of the Mountain West Conference. The game began at approximately 7:10 p.m. MST and was aired on ESPN.^[4][5] The Guaranteed Rate Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game's title sponsor was residential mortgage company Guaranteed Rate.

2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl
34th Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Kansas Jayhawks UNLV Rebels (8–4) (9–4) Big 12 Mountain West 49 36 Head coach:  Lance Leipold Head coach:  Barry Odom
1 2 3 4 Total Kansas 7 21 0 21 49 UNLV 7 3 14 12 36
Date	December 26, 2023
Season	2023
Stadium	Chase Field
Location	Phoenix, Arizona
MVP	Jason Bean (QB, Kansas)[1] & Kenny Logan (S, Kansas)[2]
Favorite	Kansas by 10.5
Referee	Tim Hedgepeth (ACC)[3]
Attendance	26,478
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN ESPN Radio
Announcers	Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), and Stormy Buonantony (sideline) (ESPN) Jorge Sedano (play-by-play) and Max Starks (analyst) (ESPN Radio)
Guaranteed Rate Bowl  < 2022  2024 >

Kansas won the game 49–36. Kansas quarterback Jason Bean, who won offensive MVP, set the Guaranteed Rate Bowl record for passing touchdowns with 6, split between receivers Luke Grimm and Lawrence Arnold who both had 3, tying former Jayhawk Dezmon Briscoe's record for receiving touchdowns.

Teams

The game featured the Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12 Conference and the UNLV Rebels of the Mountain West Conference.

The game was the third meeting between Kansas and UNLV with the all-time series tied at 1–1 prior to the game. The teams' had previously met in 2003 with the Jayhawks winning 46–24.^[6]

Kansas Jayhawks

Main article: 2023 Kansas Jayhawks football team

The Jayhawks entered the game with an 8–4 record (5–4 in Big 12), tied for seventh place in their conference.

This was Kansas' second Guaranteed Rate Bowl; they previously won the 2008 Insight Bowl when the bowl was known by that name. It was the Jayhawks' second consecutive season playing in a bowl game, something only accomplished once before in program history (2007–2008).

UNLV Rebels

Main article: 2023 UNLV Rebels football team

The Rebels entered the game with a 9–4 record (6–2 in Mountain West). Winning the three-way tiebreaker for first place in their conference, the Rebels hosted the 2023 Mountain West Championship Game, losing to Boise State, 44–20.

This was UNLV's first Guaranteed Rate Bowl. It was also the Rebel's first bowl appearance since the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl, following the 2013 season.

Game summary

2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Kansas	7	21	0	21	49
UNLV	7	3	14	12	36

at Chase Field • Phoenix, Arizona

• Date: Tuesday, December 26, 2023
• Game time: 7:00 p.m. MST
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 26,478
• Referee: Tim Hedgepeth
• TV announcers (ESPN): Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), and Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
• Box score

Game information

First Quarter (11:07) UNLV – Vincent Davis Jr. 3 yard run, Jose Pizano kick (Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 3:53; UNLV 7–0) (2:05) KU – Luke Grimm 6 yard pass from Jason Bean, Seth Keller kick (Drive: 9 plays, 98 yards, 4:48; Tied 7–7) Second Quarter (11:37) KU – Luke Grimm 60 yard pass from Jason Bean, Seth Keller kick (Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 2:38; Kansas 14–7) (7:57) KU – Lawrence Arnold 15 yard pass from Jason Bean, Seth Keller kick (Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards, 1:19; Kansas 21–7) (1:21) KU – Devin Neal 1 yard run, Seth Keller kick (Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 3:42; Kansas 28–7) (0:00) UNLV – Jose Pizano 40 yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 38 yards, 1:21; Kansas 28–10) Third Quarter (12:15) UNLV – Shelton Zeon III 5 yard pass from Jayden Maiava, Jose Pizano kick (Drive: 5 plays, 42 yards, 1:44; Kansas 28–17) (10:30) UNLV – Ricky White 37 yard pass from Jayden Maiava, Jose Pizano kick (Drive: 1 plays, 37 yards, 0:07; Kansas 28–24) Fourth Quarter (14:52) KU – Lawrence Arnold 40 yard pass from Jason Bean, Seth Keller kick (Drive: 10 plays, 99 yards, 6:53; Kansas 35–24) (12:06) UNLV – Jacob De Jesus 11 yard run, two-point run conversion failed (Drive: 7 plays, 88 yards, 2:46; Kansas 35–30) (11:10) KU – Lawrence Arnold 56 yard pass from Jason Bean, Seth Keller kick (Drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 0:56; Kansas 42–30) (8:16) KU – Luke Grimm 43 yard pass from Jason Bean, Seth Keller kick (Drive: 3 plays, 46 yards, 1:33; Kansas 49–30) (6:27) UNLV – Senika McKie 50 yard pass from Jayden Maiava, two-point run conversion failed (Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 1:49; Kansas 49–36)

Statistics

Statistics	KU	UNLV
First downs	22	23
Plays–yards	67–591	59–386
Rushes–yards	39–142	24–95
Passing yards	449	291
Passing: comp–att–int	19–28–3	24–35–2
Time of possession	34:06	25:54

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Kansas	Passing	Jason Bean	19/28, 449 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT
	Rushing	Devin Neal	20 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Luke Grimm	4 receptions, 160 yards, 3 TD
UNLV	Passing	Jayden Maiava	24/35, 291 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Jacob De Jesus	6 carries, 40 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Ricky White	7 receptions, 97 yards, TD