Another game that features two squads with different end-of-year trajectories, Northwestern squares off with Utah in the 2023 Las Vegas Bowl sponsored by SRS Distribution. The former bounced back from a 3-4 start to finish the season on a high note, scoring four Big Ten conference wins down the stretch. Meanwhile, the same could not be said of the Utes who faltered against the upper echelon of the Pac-12 (Washington, Oregon, and a feisty Arizona squad), but still notched an 8-4 mark. The Utes will also still be without stalwart signal-caller Cam Rising as he has been shut down since October with an injury and will rely heavily on their vaunted defense.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each team, along with a predicted winner and even more notes about college football wagering.
The Utes are coming off a solid win over the Deion Sanders-led Colorado Buffaloes to end the season, 23-17, thus giving themselves another campaign in the final season of the Pac-12. With Rising going down back in the fall, quarterback Bryson Barnes has operated capably in his stead, throwing for 12 passing scores this year, along with 1,517 yards. Moreover, the Utes offense has performed steadily this season, averaging 24.5 points per game (ppg) posting a top-30 unit in rushing yards per contest at 186.3 ypg.
Prior to Rising getting hurt, the Utes were looking solid, picking up wins over Florida and ranked UCLA. While the squad had somewhat mixed results in the elite Pac-12 since his injury, they still were able to knock off ranked USC in Los Angeles and also pummel a hapless Arizona State team, 55-3. As noted above, the Utes are noted for their stellar defense, which is a top-25 unit in the country for ppg allowed at 19.8. Defensive end Jonah Elliss had a sensational year with 12 sacks with a ridiculous 100 yards lost.
Northwestern ended the year on somewhat of a hot streak, rattling off wins at Illinois, Purdue at home, and also against Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. In the regular season finale against the Illini, the Wildcats eked out a 45-43 win showing they can win in all kinds of fashion this year. Moreover, head coach David Braun did an incredible job of steering the program through a hazing scandal and the subsequent firing of former coach Pat Fitzgerald to a 7-5 record, including a mark of 5-4 in Big Ten play. Indeed this is a resilient team that has the ability to provide some feisty competition against any foe they match up against.
Quarterback Ben Bryant has eerily similar numbers to Utah’s Barnes (1,586 passing yards, 11 scores), but has thrown three less interceptions this year. Moreover, the Wildcats’ offense is more pass-heavy as noted by their roughly 200 passing yards per contest. The defense can shine at times, they are around a top-50 unit in the country, giving up 23.8 ppg. The offense also features two strong Cam players in running back Porter (618 rushing yards and four scores) and wide receiver Johnson (684 receiving yards and five touchdowns).
Prediction: Per the most recent Sagarin ratings, Northwestern is rated as the No. 58th squad in the country, while Utah is ranked at 25. That difference gives the Utes a big advantage here.
Once you are all squared away on your Las Vegas Bowl bets for this year, make sure to look into the great variety of resources available to you only at SBS. Of course, for even more news and notes about college football this bowl season, our college football betting sites guide has your back with all of the latest betting markets on the sport. Moreover, for those looking to juice up their bets, the best bonus betting sites rundown is a great page to bookmark. Here you can find a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers for you to utilize. Finally, for those on the go, our best betting apps breakdown has all you need to know about mobile betting and always staying on top of the action.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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