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 7:10p.m. MST and was aired on ESPN. 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.

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.

Kansas Jayhawks

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

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

Quarter1234Total
Kansas72102149
UNLV73141236

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)
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

StatisticsKUUNLV
First downs2223
Plays–yards67–59159–386
Rushes–yards39–14224–95
Passing yards449291
Passing: comp–att–int19–28–324–35–2
Time of possession34:0625:54
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
KansasPassingJason Bean19/28, 449 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT
RushingDevin Neal20 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingLuke Grimm4 receptions, 160 yards, 3 TD
UNLVPassingJayden Maiava24/35, 291 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
RushingJacob De Jesus6 carries, 40 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingRicky White7 receptions, 97 yards, TD

External links

  • at statbroadcast.com