Game Preview
On December 23, the football team from Northwestern University takes on the Utah Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium.
It has been a turbulent few months for Northwestern. The 17-year coach Pat Fitzgerald was suspended by the school in July and subsequently fired after an investigation into the football program exposed hazing. David Braun, the defensive coordinator, was promoted last month after taking over as an interim coach. The majority of the starting lineup for the Wildcats will return, but star offensive lineman Jose Priebe, who recently entered the transfer portal, is expected to be absent. Just three players left, and none of them were key players. With victories over Wisconsin and Illinois on the road, as well as a victory over Purdue 23-15 in its last home game at Ryan Field, Northwestern is riding high heading into Vegas.
In the meantime, Utah and head coach Kyle Whittingham are going through their own struggles. Throughout the season, the Utes lost a number of players to injuries, and more recently, top players entered the transfer portal. Ja’Qunden Jackson is back as the featured tailback, and Barnes will start at quarterback. Safety Sione Vaki, who became an important 2-way player and x-factor on the attacking end of the ball, is not going to play. The Utes will rely on Jackson to run the ball because he is focused on the NFL Draft, and Money Parks needs to be the primary target in the passing game. NW was 3-4 following their road loss to Nebraska, who scored 9 points. It would have been reasonable to regard it as a difficult situation at that point, given the turmoil surrounding their coach and the incidents of bullying and hazing. But they managed to defeat Maryland, come close to defeating Iowa, and finish the season with three solid victories.
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Utah vs Northwestern Game Information
- Date: 01/01/2024
- Time: 05:00 PM ET
- Location: Target Field.
- How to Watch Utah vs Northwestern: ESPN
- Live Stream: fubo.tv
