By Skip Coopersmith
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Riding a three-game winning streak, Northwestern heads to the 2023 SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl to face off against the Utah Utes. It marks the Wildcats’ 17th bowl appearance in program history, their 11th in the last 16 seasons, and their third-ever against a repeat opponent.
How to Follow
Watch on ABC: Action will be televised on ABC, with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sideline) on the call. Direct Link to Watch Online (Sign-in Required)
Listen on ESPN 1000 AM: The Voice of the Wildcats, Dave Eanet, returns for his 34th season calling Northwestern Football. Eanet will be joined on the call by 30th-year analyst Ted Albrecht, along with Lauren Withrow on the sideline.
Direct Link to Listen Online
Follow In-Game Updates (NUFBFamily): Stay tuned to Northwestern Football’s Twitter and Instagram channels for live highlights, photos and reactions surrounding Sunday’s game.
Digital Program: Can’t wait for Saturday’s game? Catch up on all the latest with the Wildcats prior to kickoff with this week’s gameday program! View the Northwestern Las Vegas Bowl Digital Program HERE.
Five Things to Know:
- Northwestern is on a four-game winning streak in bowl games, the longest streak in program history, second- longest in the Big Ten and tied for fourth-longest active streak entering the 2023 slate of bowl games. This is the 17th bowl appearance in Northwestern history, as well as their 11th in the past 16 seasons. The ‘Cats are 6-10 all-time in bowl games, averaging 27.4 points per game in their 16 bowl appearances. Utah joins Auburn and Tennessee as the only schools to face Northwestern twice in bowl games.
- Northwestern is +10 in turnover margin this season, an improvement of +29 from last season (-19). That marks the highest improvement from season-to-season of any Big Ten Conference team in the 21st century. The next highest was Minnesota, who improved from -15 to +12 for a +27 improvement from 2007 to 2008 (the Gophers also improved from one win to seven wins over that span. The Wildcats rank seventh in the nation and third in the Big Ten in turnover margin this season.
- The Wildcats’ six-win improvement from 2022 to 2023 is the largest win improvement by any FBS team this season. Since 2000, Northwestern is one of just five teams to win six or more games the year after finishing 1-11. NU is the first Big Ten team to go from one overall win to a winning record in Big Ten play since Iowa in 1968
- Linebackers Bryce Gallagher and Xander Mueller are the first pair of Wildcats to each record 100+ tackles in a season since Paddy Fisher and Blake Gallagher (Bryce’s brother) did so in 2018. Since 2007, a Northwestern defender has recorded 100 or more tackles in a season 20 times. Gallagher is the first Wildcat to finish with 100+ tackles in back-to-back seasons since Paddy Fisher did so in 2017-18. His 210 tackles over the last two seasons rank second-most among any Big Ten player behind Cal Haladay (Michigan State). With 102 total tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss, Mueller is the first NU player to finish with 100+ tackles for loss and 10.0+ TFL’s in a season since Anthony Walker did so in back-to-back years from 2015-16.
- Dan & Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun was named the consensus Big Ten Coach of the Year by the conference’s coaches and media. He is the fifth different Northwestern head coach to win Big Ten Coach of the Year since the award was handed out in 1972, joining Pat Fitzgerald (2018), Randy Walker (2000), Gary Barnett (1995, 1996) and Dennis Green (1982). Braun is the first Power 5 coach to take his team from 1 or fewer wins to bowl eligibility in the following season since 2018 (Matt Rhule, Baylor). He is also a finalist for the Bear Bryant Award Coach of the Year and the Eddied Robinson Coach of the Year and was named the inaugural Bear Bryant Newcomer Coach of the Year this week.
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