ORLANDO, Florida — Northwestern’s runner-up finish in the Big Ten featured many quality performances. The Wildcats edged out a season-end top-20 Iowa opponent. They toppled a top-10 Wisconsin team to take control of the West Division. They hung tight with an Ohio State team that is set to play in the National Championship game in a week and a half. But for as successful as they were, Pat Fitzgerald and his Wildcats were still in search of a complete game heading into the Citrus Bowl.
Friday afternoon in Orlando, that complete game finally came as Northwestern handled Auburn 35-19 to claim the 2021 Vrbo Citrus Bowl title and its fourth consecutive bowl victory.