It's a near certainty that the Wildcats will meet an SEC team
At this point, we're pretty certain of Northwestern's bowl destination: either Tampa Bay for the Outback Bowl or Orlando for the Citrus Bowl, with the former being much more likely than the latter. Unless something really odd happens, the Wildcats will just barely miss out on a New Year's Six bowl. Whether you agree with that or not is up to you.
Regardless of whether it's the Outback or the Citrus, the Wildcats are a lock to play an SEC team, with the Citrus getting the first pick of teams, followed by the Outback.