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The Utah Utes will end an era when they play Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31.
It will be head coach Kyle Whittingham’s last game as head coach after the 66-year-old announced his retirement on Friday. Whittingham is the winningest coach in program history at 117-88 over 22 seasons.
“The time has come to step down from my position as football coach at the University of Utah,” Whittingham said in a statement Friday.
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Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham on the sideline during the first half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, Nov. 15, 2025. (Chris Jones/Imagn Images)
“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the program for the past 21 years, and I am very grateful for the relationships created with all the players and assistant coaches who have worked so hard and proudly carried the drum and feathers during our time here.”
Whittingham co-coached the Fiesta Bowl with Utah in 2004 and then took over as the permanent head coach the following season. Whittingham led Utah to a winning record in 18 of his 21 seasons.
This season, Utah is 10-2 and at one point ranked No. 13 in the AP poll, just missing the College Football Playoff (CFB).
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Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham reacts during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan., Nov. 28, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
Whittingham was named Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1981 in his senior year.
Prior to coaching, Whittingham played in the USFL and CFL from 1982 to 1984. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at BYU.
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Whittingham joined the Utah staff in 1994 and rose through the ranks. He began as the defensive line coach and eventually became the defensive coordinator before becoming the team’s head coach.
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His last game on the sideline will be the team’s bowl game against Nebraska. Whittingham, who is 11-6 in bowl games as a head coach, looks to finish his tenure with a win on Dec. 31.
