The University of Utah takes on the Northwestern Wildcats in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, Saturday at 5:30 PM MST. For the Utes, it’s one final game to a season that was snake-bitten by injuries. For Northwestern, they’ve made the best all season out a tough situation.
UteNation caught up with Wildcat Report publisher, Louie Vaccher to get more insight for the game:
After a difficult offseason, what’s the feeling around the Northwestern program and how they were able to play through it?
Northwestern’s football program is in a much better place than they were in July, that’s for sure. Think about it. They were coming off of a 1-11 season, the program’s worst mark since 1989. Then, the hazing scandal broke and Pat Fitzgerald, the most beloved coach in school history, got fired in July. Lawsuits were filed, by former players and then Fitzgerald himself.
They had a coach take over who never was a head coach before, and had never coached at the FBS level before. But somehow, David Braun kept the team focused through it all and turned out to be a much better leader than anyone could imagine. He got the team to seven wins and took home the Big Ten Coach of the Year award in the process.
Will this bowl game be easy for Northwestern to get up for or are most around the program ready to be done with this season?
Northwestern is thrilled to be playing in the Las Vegas Bowl – or any bowl, for that matter – after going 4-20 over 2021 and 2022 combined. They got off to a bit of a rough start to the season, but turned things around with an overtime win over Minnesota after they trailed 31-10 at the start of the fourth quarter. They kept improving throughout the year and closed the season with three straight wins.
If anything, I don’t think this team wants the season to end. The adversity of the summer really brought the locker room together and galvanized the team.
Who are the guys both offensively and defensively that Utah will have to worry about on Saturday?
Northwestern struggled offensively for much of the year, but Ben Bryant can be a difference maker when the offensive line gives him time. He’s a sixth-year veteran with more than 30 starts under his belt. He’s seen it all. He also has as good a trio of wide receivers to throw to as I’ve seen in Evanston. Cam Johnson is the leading receiver and is a physical, possession guy. Bryce Kirtz has made some big plays for them all season, and AJ Henning has the speed to take the top off the defense.
Defensively, Northwestern’s linebackers are the strength. Bryce Gallagher and Xander Mueller both finished with more than 100 tackles. Gallagher is the in-the-box MLB who cleans things up between the tackles, while Mueller leads the team in TFL, and often blitzes. The Wildcats also have three very experienced safeties in Coco Azema, Rod Heard II and Devin Turner. However, it looks like Azema, a captain, won’t be able to play due to an injury.
How would you devise a game plan to attack Northwestern’s defense?
Northwestern plays a bend-but-don’t break defensive style. They will play shell coverage on the back end and try to keep everything in front of them, and then tackle well. They don’t give up a lot of big plays and make you earn everything. It sounds cliché, but you have to stay disciplined and take what they give you. Northwestern will give you underneath routes and crossing patterns, so that should be the Utes bread-and-butter in the passing game. That said, I think the running game will decide the game; if the Utes can establish the run, and then work play-action behind it, they have a good shot at winning.
Similarly, how would you stop Northwestern’s offense?
Northwestern hasn’t had much of a running game for most of the season. They run enough to stay balanced. Getting pressure on Bryant will be key for Utah, and the fact that Jonah Elliss isn’t playing will hurt them. Bryant is very mobile, so a consistent pass rush can knock him off his game.
What’s your prediction for the Las Vegas Bowl? Why?
As I mentioned earlier, Northwestern is excited to be in this game. For Utah, which played in the Rose Bowl the last two years and had CFP aspirations, this is a big disappointment. That, plus all of the players the Utes will be missing makes me think that the Wildcats might steal this game. I don’t think there’s any question that Utah would win this game if both teams were at full strength. The key for the Wildcats will be their offensive line, which has allowed more sacks this season than all but three FBS teams.
Prediction: Northwestern 23, Utah 17
