College football: Utah’s Kyle Whittingham to step down after bowl game

The Utah Utes will end an era when they take on Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on December 31.

This will be head coach Kyle Whittingham’s final game as head coach after the 66-year-old announced his resignation on Friday. Whittingham is the winningest coach in program history, going 117-88 over 22 seasons.

“The time has come to step down from my position as head 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 on November 15, 2025. (Chris Jones/Imagn Images)

“It has been an honor and privilege to lead the program over the past 21 years, and I am very grateful for the relationships forged with all of the players and assistant coaches who have worked so hard and proudly carried the drum and pen during our time here.”

Whittingham co-coached the Fiesta Bowl with Utah in 2004, then took over as 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 13th in the AP Poll, narrowly 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. on November 28, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)

Whittingham was named the 1981 Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year during his senior year.

Before 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 team in 1994 and rose through the ranks. He started as a defensive line coach and eventually became a defensive coordinator before becoming the team’s head coach.

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His final game on the sideline will be the team’s bowl game against Nebraska. Whittingham, who is 11-6 in bowl games as head coach, will look to end his tenure with a victory on Dec. 31.

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