It has already been something off a remarkable season for the Northwestern Wildcats as they prepare for their Las Vegas Bowl matchup at Allegiant Stadium against Utah. The Big Ten team started their summer training camp steeped in controversy when a hazing controversy that took place under the regime of former head coach Pat Fitzgerald came to light.
Fitzgerald was fired shortly after, and unheralded David Braun was named to replace him. Since the Wildcats had won just 1 games in the 2022 season and the program was clearly in a crisis mode, expectations were incredibly low for the 2023 season.
However, while Northwestern did not have a roster filled with big-name players, they did have determination. Actually getting out on the field was their salvation, and Northwestern started playing competitive football
The Wildcats improved steadily as the season progressed, and they finished the regular season with a shocking 7-5 record.
Meanwhile the Utah Utes (8-4) had high hopes of winning the Pac-12 during the season, and while they had a strong team, they could not get the best of powerhouses Oregon and Washington. Nevertheless they have a team that excels at running the ball and defending the run.
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The Utes are 6-point favorites in the game.
Northwestern quarterback Ben Bryant will keep not throw more than 1 interception
One of the reasons the Wildcats were able to play competitively through the first half of the season and then improve significantly over the last 5 games was that they did not turn the ball over.
When an undermanned team wants to build a winning record, it can't give opponents multiple opportunities by making huge mistakes.
Northwestern was not about to do that, and quarterback Ben Bryant helped keep the Wildcats on track. Bryant was not spectacular this season, but he was steady. He completed 150 of 242 passes for 1,584 yards with 11 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.
Bryant did a solid job of taking what the defense gave him, and maintaining control of the football. He did just that in Northwestern's 24-10 win on the road against Wisconsin, as he completed 18 of 26 passes for 195 yards with 2 TDs and no interceptions.
His most spectacular game came earlier in the season when Northwestern overcame a 21-point deficit and defeated Minnesota 37-34. Bryant threw for 396 yards along with 4 TDs and no interceptions.
Braun said that was the game that turned Northwestern's season around.
“They found a way to win a game that no one really thought we'd have an opportunity to come back,” Braun said. “More than anything else, it created a lot of confidence on our football team.”
Utes will run for more than 150 yards and shut down Northwestern's running attack
The Utes have several players in the transfer portal, but that doesn't mean that Whittingham's team will not be prepared to play a solid game against Northwestern.
Utah has averaged nearly 200 yards on the ground in the last six games, as they have a pair of running backs that they can attack with throughout the game. Ja'Quinden Jackson has carried the ball 153 times for 742 yards with 4 touchdowns this season. His backfield mate Jaylon Glover also has the ability to cause damage. He ran for 513 yards with an average of 4.2 yards per carry and 2 touchdowns during the regular season.
When it comes to stopping the run, few teams compare with the Utes. They allowed 84.3 yards per game on the ground, and that ranked 4th nationally. Their all-around defense was also very impressive, as the Utes gave up 308.6 yards per game, ranking 17th in the nation.
The Utes have endured a number of injuries this season, but Whittingham says his team has been able to overcome that situation and play winning football.
“It's been challenging, but our guys answered the bell,” Whittingham said. “Every week, it seemed to be a little shuffling of the lineup, but they handled it as well as possibly could be handled.”
Final score: Northwestern 28, Utah 27
Bowl games often come down to motivation and overall player availability. This version of the Las Vegas Bowl is no different, and it appears that the Wildcats are the more motivated team.
Nothing was expected of Northwestern in the offseason, and even less when the team went through its preseason controversy. However, they found relief by competing, and they should be thrilled to have one more chance to play this season.
Utah has a number of players in the transfer portal, and they have had a series of injuries this year. They had designs on winning the Pac-12 this year, but they came up short. The Utes are a very tough team, but Northwestern may want this game just a little bit more.
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