After capturing back-to-back Pac-12 championships, Utah has earned another trip to the Rose Bowl.
Among the perks of accomplishing that feat? Another visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.
Wednesday afternoon, the Utes spent time at Disneyland Park, where coach Kyle Whittingham and his four team captains rode horse-drawn carriages through downtown Disneyland during a parade honoring No. 8 Utah and its opponent, No. 11 Penn State.
The two programs will meet for the first time ever on Monday (3 p.m., MST, ESPN) in the 109th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All.
For the Utes, they enjoyed playing in the Rose Bowl last year — except for the outcome, a heartbreaking 48-45 setback against Ohio State.
Yet, during the run-up to Utah’s biggest game ever on New Year’s Day 2022, things could have been, well, happier.
A year ago, COVID-19 was a huge topic of conversation, as the specter of the disease hung over college football’s postseason, with some games being canceled. Some Rose Bowl events had to be canceled.
But this year, COVID fears have dwindled and masks are rarely seen.
It feels normal.
“It has a different feel to it this year, for sure,” said Whittingham. “Starting with Disneyland, it’s different in the way things are structured here. But we’re excited about being here again. We’re looking forward to the rest of the week.”
While this is the Nittany Lions’ first trip to the Rose Bowl since 2017, the Utes have been here, done that — as recently as 12 months ago. That could provide Utah with an advantage over Penn State.
“It’s a benefit. It’s the second time around for us. You hope you learned some things last year, which we did,” Whittingham said. “We have a pretty good blueprint but we tweaked it this year. It’s just a matter of continually trying to do things better and the more experience you have, the more times you go through it, hopefully the better you get at it.”
Of course, wide receiver Devaughn Vele is hoping that this time his team hoists the Rose Bowl trophy.
“Last year, we were taking it all in. ‘Oh, this is really the Rose Bowl.’ This time around, it’s like, we’re winning this game. This is what we want,” he said. “We’ve already experienced everything that the Rose Bowl can offer. Now, we want to experience it on the other end when we are the winners at the end of the day. I feel like that’s the mindset we have with a lot of our players this time around.”
What did the Utes learn from last year’s game?
“Our different perspective on how we’re approaching practice. I think it’s a lot more serious this time around. We’re still having fun,” Vele said. “A lot of the guys are a lot more invested in really winning this game. We have the activities but the main thing is, we want a better outcome. That’s what’s driving us.”
How different is the feeling this year compared to last year?
“It’s similar,” said quarterback Cam Rising. “It still has the same Granddaddy-of-Them-All feel. The biggest difference is no COVID or anything like that. That makes it that much easier.”
Rising hails from Southern California and he’s relishing another chance to play in his home state on a big stage.
“It’s nice when you don’t have to fly to your bowl site. You can just drive down,” he said. “It makes it that much easier. I’m happy to be here and close to home so my family can come to the game. It’s going to be fun.”
Wednesday, defensive tackle Devin Kaufusi jumped up and down for joy when he saw Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters wandering around the park.
“That was sweet. I’ve been a big, long-time fan of Disney,” he said, wearing a broad smile. “I really haven’t had that many Disney experiences at the park. I have a lot of catching up to do.”
Kaufusi joined the other team captains, Vele, Rising, and safety R.J. Hubert on a carriage during the parade as the patrons of the park cheered.
It’s special for them to return to the Rose Bowl.
“It’s huge. Not just being in the Rose Bowl, but doing it back-to-back. It says a lot about the program coach Whitt has here and the coaches and the players and what it takes to get to the Rose Bowl, which is the highest level of postseason football,” Kaufusi said. “It’s like coach Whitt said, ‘Not only act like champions but act like back-to-back champions.’ To be able to do that and come to the Rose Bowl, we’re looking for a better outcome this year than last year.”
The Utes say they realized there’s a balance to be struck between savoring this priceless experience and preparing for the task at hand — winning the game.
“It’s understanding that there are the fun times that come but we always have to separate that from the work time. The team that does that better is usually the one that comes out with the ‘W,’” Vele said. “The players understand that, especially since this is the second year doing this so we have a better understanding of what we’ve got to do in order to have a better outcome than last year.”
Certainly, Whittingham knows a lot about how to prepare a team for a bowl game.
“We’re obviously drawing from last year’s experience. We have a pretty good blueprint of how we’re going to handle things. We had a good practice this morning,” he said. “The key is for your players to understand that when it’s time to work, to focus in and lock in and get the work done. When it’s time to have a good time, do just that. You have to be able to separate the two. That’s a key to performing well in the game.”
No doubt, a Rose Bowl victory would make Utah’s campus The Happiest Place on Earth for months to come.
Rose Bowl on the air
No. 8 Utah (10-3) vs. No. 11 Penn State (10-2)
Jan. 2, 3 p.m. MST
Rose Bowl
Pasadena, California
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN 700