The Utah Utes take on the Northwestern Wildcats. Check out our Las Vegas Bowl odds for our Utah Northwestern prediction and pick. Find how to watch Utah Northwestern.

The Utah Utes and Northwestern Wildcats have both been through quite a ride in 2023. The Utes played their entire season without star quarterback Cam Rising. The Utes began their season on August 31 against Florida, hoping Rising might be available for a September 9 game against Baylor. Then the hope was that Rising might be available by the end of September, and then for the USC game on October 21. It began to dawn on everyone that the injury forecast was much less optimistic than the Utes originally hoped. The injury was more severe than most people were initially aware of. Utah had to gut out the season without an elite leader, and that was simply too much of a hill to climb for the Utes, who played tough and valiant football but simply did not have the talent, depth, or offensive firepower to keep pace with the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies, the two teams which met in the Pac-12 Championship Game this season. Utah did what it could, but it was playing with a bad hand all year long.

Northwestern watched head coach Pat Fitzgerald get fired in the summer. The Wildcats had no real time to reorganize. It was up to interim coach David Braun — also the team's defensive coordinator — to take over the full operation and somehow guide this team to a respectable finish. Keep in mind that when a head coach leaves (as Fitzgerald did), players on a college football team are allowed to transfer out of the program. Several players did just that. Given that the transfer exodus was occurring just before the season started, Northwestern seemed likely to crash and burn this season. Just about everyone expected a season with no more than three wins. A lot of people felt a 2-10 or 1-11 season was a likely outcome.

When you account for all those details, a 7-5 bowl season is an absolutely incredible feat. Braun, an interim coach, did the most remarkable coaching job in the Big Ten, with Iowa's Kirk Ferentz also performing at an extremely high level.

Two overachieving teams which fought through adversity now meet in Las Vegas in a highly intriguing bowl battle.

Here are the Utah-Northwestern Las Vegas Bowl odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

Las Vegas Bowl Odds: Utah-Northwestern Odds

Utah Utes: -6.5 (-110)

Northwestern Wildcats: +6.5 (-110)

Over: 41.5 (-115)

Under: 41.5 (-105)

How To Watch Utah vs Northwestern

Time: 7:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm PT

TV: ABC

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Utah Could Cover the Spread

The Utes won the Pac-12 championship in 2021 and 2022. They have established a very high standard. Crucially, they won eight games this year despite being shorthanded due to injuries. This team knows how to play and win even without a full complement of players. Despite bowl opt-outs and other roster limitations, Utah is a team worth trusting.

Why Northwestern Could Cover the Spread

The Wildcats have already overcome the odds by a large margin, somehow winning seven games in a year when many expected them to win only two. How can you bet against a team like that in a bowl game?

Final Utah-Northwestern Prediction & Pick

The Utah Utes have set a high standard for a very long time and have become a premier program. Northwestern has had one magical season but does not have the underlying depth Utah does. Take Utah.

Final Utah-Northwestern Prediction & Pick: Utah -6.5