Northwestern’s roller-coaster ride of a season will end in New York City, where the Wildcats will grace the confines of Yankees Stadium with an opportunity to salvage a winning record.
Two and a half months ago, the chances of a winning record looked dim for the Wildcats, but here they are. Aside from pushing the team’s record to above .500, a win would be just Pat Fitzgerald’s second bowl victory in six tries. There would be a tangible momentum for the Wildcats heading into next season, which would be a complete reversal of the narrative heading into this season after last season’s 45-6 loss to Tennessee in the Outback Bowl.