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There is probably not a greater solution to begin the brand new 12 months than by watching No. 14 Northwestern tackle Auburn within the Citrus Bowl on Friday. Perhaps if you happen to awakened on New 12 months’s Day after which discovered $1 million underneath your sofa as you sat down on it to observe Northwestern tackle Auburn within the Citrus Bowl, that may be higher, however that is in all probability not a practical situation.
So I’ll say that, no, there may be nothing higher than beginning your 12 months with this recreation. I imply, there’s simply one thing comforting a few Huge Ten crew enjoying an SEC crew in Florida on New 12 months’s. It is like slipping into an outdated pair of footwear that match good.
This 12 months’s Citrus Bowl is a rematch of the 2010 Outback Bowl. In that recreation, Auburn survived a late comeback by Northwestern to beat the Wildcats 38-35 in extra time. If this 12 months’s assembly is half as entertaining as that one was, we’re in for a deal with. That recreation additionally serves as the one different time in historical past these groups have met on a soccer discipline.
It is an essential recreation for Northwestern as nicely. Rumors proceed to swirl about coach Pat Fitzgerald doubtlessly leaving Evanston for the NFL as he continues to overachieve Northwestern. His Wildcats simply received their second division title in three years and need to end one other outstanding season with a New 12 months’s Day bowl win — its received 4 of its final 5 bowl video games since 2012 underneath Fitzgerald. Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the storylines to observe in Orlando.
Storylines
Auburn: It has been a tough season for Auburn. The Tigers got here into the 2020 season with hopes of competing for a division title and doable SEC championship. These hopes took a extreme hit within the second recreation of the season when the Tigers misplaced to rival Georgia 27-6, and two weeks later, these hopes had been outright destroyed by a 30-22 loss to South Carolina — a recreation that may show to be one among solely two wins for the Gamecocks. Losses to Alabama and Texas A&M would observe, and a 6-Four season helped result in Gus Malzahn’s dismissal. Kevin Steele will function the interim coach for the Tigers on this recreation, however issues may show awkward since Steele hoped to get the everlasting job however Auburn determined to rent Bryan Harsin away from Boise State as an alternative.
Northwestern: Final 12 months right now, Northwestern wasn’t in a bowl recreation. It had simply completed a 3-9 season, profitable just one convention recreation. So when coach Pat Fitzgerald mentioned throughout an end-of-season press convention that the Wildcats would get issues circled and play for a Huge Ten championship in 2020, you would be excused for elevating an eyebrow in disbelief. Properly, right here we’re 12 months later and Northwestern is 6-2, received the Huge Ten West and performed for a Huge Ten championship. Certain, it misplaced to Ohio State 22-10 in that recreation, but it surely’s laborious to argue that this season hasn’t been something apart from a powerful success for the Wildcats. It is a crew that, as ordinary, has been led by its protection, which makes this Citrus Bowl bittersweet. Will probably be the ultimate recreation for long-time defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz, who’s retiring after a protracted, profitable profession, together with the final 13 seasons at Northwestern.
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Viewing info
Sport: Citrus Bowl
Date: Friday, Jan. 1 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Tenting World Stadium — Orlando, Florida
TV: ABC | Reside stream: fuboTV (Strive free of charge)
Citrus Bowl prediction, picks
With regards to handicapping a bowl recreation, it’s a must to think about a crew’s motivation for taking part in within the recreation. I’ve completely little doubt in my thoughts that Northwestern will present up able to play on this recreation; that is the way in which Pat Fitzgerald runs his program and the way his groups deal with bowl preparation. There’s additionally the added motivation of it being Hankwitz’s ultimate recreation as defensive coordinator. I can not say I am assured Auburn can be all that motivated. As talked about above, it is a crew coming off a disappointing season enjoying underneath an interim coach who needed the full-time job and did not get it. Northwestern’s offense is not adequate to make me consider the Wildcats can run away with this recreation, and letting Auburn hold round may very well be all of the motivation it wants. I do assume the Wildcats cowl ultimately, nonetheless. Decide: Northwestern -3.5 | Northwestern 23, Auburn 17
So who wins Northwestern vs. Auburn? And which aspect of the unfold hits nicely over 50 p.c of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Auburn vs. Northwestern spread to back, all from the superior mannequin on a 56-36 run on its top-rated school soccer picks this season.
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