Three matchups to watch against UTEP

Week One has come and gone for Northwestern, and although we expected some early hiccups in the early stages of the David Braun regime, the 24-7 loss to Rutgers was disappointing nonetheless. Now, Northwestern (0-1, 0-1 B1G) has a chance at redemption against UTEP (1-1, 0-1 C-USA), as the Wildcats and Miners are set to face off for the first time in program history. Here are some crucial matchups to look out for on Saturday:

UTEP’s offensive line vs. Northwestern’s defensive line

The UTEP offensive line has been remarkably up-and-down through two contests, mostly depending on what type of play is called. On designed runs, when the line is allowed to maul forward and set the physical tone, the…