Utes to watch in the Rose Bowl vs Penn State: Ja'Quinden Jackson
With the 2023 Rose Bowl less than a week away, the Utah Utes and Penn State Nittany Lions are preparing to face off for the first time in history as the Pac-12 and Big Ten battle in the Tournament of Roses one last time.
Looking back at the two teams regular season results, several players were pivotal in helping each program reach Pasadena and will no doubt continue to play a key role in the game on January 2.
Ja'Quinden Jackson
Utah's Ja'Quinden Jackson (3) runs the ball as ASU defenders Jordan Clark (1) and Kyle Soelle (34) dive for the tackle at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
Joe Rondone/The Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK.
2022 Stats
65 Attempts, 450 Yards, 8 TD's, 6.9 Average Per Carry
What Ja'Quinden Jackson has been able to do this season is one of the best stories in all of college football. Rather than complaining about losing the QB2 battle, turning inward or giving up on the team, Jackson stuck it out. He then accepted a new position as a running back and was pivotal in the team repeating as Pac-12 Champions.
Each and every week, Jackson got better and better. After originally filling in for Chris Curry, Jackson's role increased due to the absence of Tavion Thomas, and eventually he became the lead back, recording 105 yards and two touchdowns in the Pac-12 Championship.
Looking ahead to the Rose Bowl, Utah will need Jackson's best in order to defeat the Nittany Lions.
When you break down Penn State's two loses, one thing in particular stands out. Yards on the ground. Between Michigan and Ohio State, Penn state allowed an average of 264 yards as opposed to their seasonal average of 105.1. They also only gained an average of 104 yards per game opposed to their seasonal average of 182.
In their worse loss of the season to the Wolverines, The Lions gave up 418 rushing yards and were blown out 41-17. Both Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum went for more than 170 yards and combined for four touchdowns. Now, is that what will be required of Jackson and the Utah offense in order to win next week? No. But what Michigan was able to do is what Utah should do their best to try and replicate.
For the year, the Utes averaged 220 yards per game and that should be the magic number to defeat Penn State. In their best win of the season, Utah posted 223 yards on the ground, nearly half of which came from Jackson.
Utah Utes quarterback Ja'Quinden Jackson (3) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Southern California Trojans during the second half of the PAC-12 Football Championship at Allegiant Stadium.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
If Utah wants to make history and record their first ever Rose Bowl victory in program history, Jackson and the running backs have to be on top of their game.
Just like he did against USC in the Pac-12 Championship, Jackson needs to run with power, purpose, and ferocity. When reviewing the tape against Michigan, Penn State allowed a lot sizable gains up the middle, especially in short distance which is Jackson's specialty.
Simply put, the rushing game very well could decide who wins this game and Jackson's performance will determine a lot of how that goes for the Utes.
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