A defensive slugfest is expected to be on tap between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Utah Utes when the teams meet at the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl on Monday. December 31.
Points will be difficult to come by in the contest, with Northwestern holding opponents to 23.5 points per game and Utah at 18.5 points per game. Utah also brings in the fifth-best rushing defense, which will apply pressure to Northwestern star running back Isaiah Bower, who has 796 yards and six touchdowns for the year.
Wildcats quarterback Clayton Thorson will be another player for Northwestern (8-5) fans to watch. The senior needs 91 yards in the air to set the all-time program record of 10,580 passing yards. This year, Thorson 2,942 yards and 15 touchdowns, but he also threw 14 interceptions.
Utah (9-4) defends the run slightly better than the pass, but the Utes still have 14 interceptions for the 2018 season, led by defensive back Jaylon Johnson who snagged four passes this year. Another member of the Utes secondary, Chase Hansen, will be a game-time decision after sustaining a hip injury. Hansen leads the Pac-12 in tackles for loss with 22 and leads Utah with solo tackles with 70.
A pair of Northwestern defenders will also miss the game due to injury. Senior linebacker Nate Hall and senior defensive tackle Jordan Thompson both underwent surgery to repair injuries from the 2018 season after the Wildcats final game of the regular season. Hall had 32 solo tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions, Thompson 12 solo tackles, six tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.
2018 San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Location: San Diego County Credit Union Stadium — San Diego, California.
Date: Monday, December 31
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Live stream: Fox Sports Go App
Satellite Radio: NW Feed: Fox Sports on SiriusXM, Ch. 83, NW Feed: Sirius 206, XM 195, Internet 957, Utah Feed: Sirius 205, XM 197, Internet 959
Odds: Utah -7; Over/Under: 46
Prediction:
John Coon (Athlon Sports): Utah 27, Northwestern 20
"Never bet against Utah in a bowl game. The Utes are 11-1 in bowl games under Whittingham and 17-4 overall. Whittingham owns the best bowl winning percentage in NCAA history and has the second-most bowl victories among active FBS coaches. Utah will have to make do without some key playmakers on both sides of the ball. Still, the Utes know how to get the job done at this time of the year. Northwestern could be in for a major challenge. The Wildcats posted a 6-0 record against divisional opponents in the Big Ten, but went 2-5 outside that division. Their offense isn't strong enough to contend with Utah's defense, which means the Utes should have no trouble notching yet another bowl victory."
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